Five at ‘Forth’

Photo: PICTURES by ALAN HOWARTH

Trialist Alen Ploj adds goal number four against part-timers Stirling Albion.

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STIRLING ALBION 0, ATHLETIC 5

A WEEK of Stirling work was rounded off with some enterprising attacking play as goals rained in against thoroughly outclassed part-time opponents.

But whether this was more than a confidence-building exercise is open for debate. Athletic will get an appreciably better idea of where they are tomorrow against Bolton.

Alen Ploj — a late addition to the party which travelled to the Scottish camp — netted twice at the Forthbank Stadium. The Slovenian trialist is still unlikely to have done enougn to earn a permanent deal - despite a pair of tidy finishes against Scottish Division Two opposition.

Danny Philliskirk, the dangerous Dominic Poleon and Rhys Turner got the other goals on a night when manager Darren Kelly gave a run-out to 19 players.

Backed by a large and hardy band of travelling fans who banged drums and sang as if a promotion place was at stake, Athletic took control early and in a formation that flitted between 4-3-3 and 4-1-4-1, poured forward with gusto.

Philliskirk, Rhys Murphy and Poleon impressed early on and the former netted the opener after seven minutes following a driving run from captain Liam Kelly and a Murphy assist as the ‘Binos’ looked in vain for an offside flag.

In goal, Joel Coleman was forced into a sharp low save from Lee Hamilton in the home side’s only threatening moment against a defence that included, for 90 minutes, an untroubled 17-year-old in George Edmundson.

Ploj’s first goal after 36 minutes stemmed from a neat nutmeg and exchange with Poleon, goalkeeper Chris Smith getting a hand on the low shot without preventing it heading in. Four minutes later, Poleon’s pace proved too much to cope with and he wrong-footed a defender and slammed home Athletic’s third.

Ploj’s second came after 50 minutes after Poleon had raced to the by-line and cut the ball back, presenting the easiest of tap-ins.

George Green was enjoying himself — albeit occasionally frustrating team-mates at times by ignoring options around him — and it was his pass which bisected the central defenders to allow Turner to race in and fire home with conviction after 65 minutes.

Philliskirk and Danny Byrnes failed to convert further chances as Athletic won at a canter.