Stirling Albion 2-2 Ayr United

Aug 24 2008 Kristian Truelsen At Forthbank

SUPER-COOL Ian Harty rifled in a second-half penalty leveller as gutsy Albion fought back from two down to claim a point. Harty kept his composure to net in 66 minutes and complete an impressive recovery from Binos who trailed through Bryan Prunty's early double.

And although they faced a fierce onslaught from high-flying United near the end, they clung on for a deserved draw.

There was a thrilling start to the game with the sides playing fast attacking football.

Ayr had the first chance in five minutes when Prunty tried to lob Myles Hogarth only for the keeper to tip over.

However, it wasn't long before Prunty bulged the net - and he did it twice inside as many minutes.

The hitman's first came in nine minutes when he charged into the box past the static defence before calmly slotting home.

United were thrilled and were celebrating again just seconds later as Prunty coolly lobbed Hogarth from 15 yards.

With barely 12 minutes on the clock and Stirling looked dead and buried.

But Nathan Taggart gave them hope by reducing the deficit in 19 minutes. He was teed up by David McKenna 10 yards out and fired beyond Stephen Grindlay.

It was game on now and Taggart could have levelled in 25 minutes. He blasted an 18-yarder inches over, though.

The stunning end-to-end opening gave way to a calmer period of play but Ayr were still probing for a third and it almost came on the half-hour.

Alex Williams floated a cross into the box for Prunty who smacked the bar with a bullet header.

McKenna could have snatched an equaliser for the home side in 40 minutes but his low drive was easily gathered by Grindlay.

Prunty then came close to completing his hat-trick from Scott Agnew's set-up but his stinging strike hit the side netting.

Moments before the break Harty had a header cleared off the line by William Easton.

Three minutes after the restart Harty flashed a header just over from Taggart's cross.

United's Chris Aitken shot over and Prunty should have scored in 53 minutes from Mark Dempsie's pass - but smashed the bar from close-range.

Martin Grehan was unlucky not to level for Albion just after the hour with a blistering 25-yard effort that smacked the bar.

But Stirling were becoming more dominant and minutes later Dempsie fouled Harty in the box and referee Chris Boyle pointed to the spot.

Harty got off the deck to fire past Grindlay.

Ayr were reeling but determined to get a clincher that would keep themtop of the pile.

Sub Ryan Borris could have made an instant impact in 77 minutes when he raced into the area before curling a shot that was well saved by Hogarth.

The Honest Men piled on the pressure and came close again with four minutes left.

Dean Keenan had a shot from close-range after a goalmouth scramble but his try was somehow cleared by the desperate Albion defence.

United continued to probe for a winner but the Binos held on.