Annan Athletic put the huge disappointment of last weeks match exit from the Scottish Cup behind them in the best possible manner with a victory over top of the table East Stirling . It was a match tinged with sadness for all associated with Annan Athletic FC with the sudden death earlier in the morning of Annan President Simon Aitken and a minutes silence preceded the game as a mark of respect for the club stalward.

The home team backed on by a vociferous home support started like a train and within 5 minutes Annan were dealt a hammer blow when the Annan defence were caught square when a through ball caught them ball watching and indecision between Steele and Neilson was all that Stephen Maguire needed to make the space for himself to finish with a clinical low shot into the corner of the net via the left hand post.

Annan responded 2 minutes later when Graeme Bell rolled the ball into the path of Bryan Gilfillan who hit a scorcher from the edge of box but the shot went narrowly over the bar. It was however a rare opportunity for Annan with East Stirling probing to increase their lead.

Kelly pulled off an important save to deny Simon Lynch in the 17^th minute as the striker homed in on goal, 5 minutes later the same player tried his luck but this time Kelly was not really tested. Maguire and Weaver then combined with the latter having his shot blocked as the home team went all out to put the game beyond the reach of Annan.

Annan squared the game in the 40^th minute and the goal was created by the quick thinking Bryan Gilfillan who managed to collect the ball wide on the flank to finish with a lob to the back post where Peter Watson for the second week running connected with a diving header.

The goal appeared to instil confidence in the Annan team who finished the half with a flurry and the home team for the first time in the match were being seriously tested at the back. Keeper Jamie Barclay managed to divert a dangerous cross from Lewis Sloan and subsequent shots from Neilson and Jardine were blocked.

With half time approaching Paul Hay then sent in a low cross and an Andy Rodgers back heeler went agonisingly wide.

Annan started the second half with more purpose and Graeme Bell stretched the home team finishing with a pass to Lewis Sloan but his attempted effort at goal did not match the build up.

Annan went ahead in the 55^th minute, although the goal carried a little good fortune when David Cox was quick to intercept an attempted back header from Paul Hay.  Cox made the best of the situation by lobbing the ball over the head of Keeper Jamie Barclay who had left his line to try and intercept the pass back .

East Stirling had claims for a penalty dismissed when Greg Kelly saved at the feet of Stephen Maguire. Annan created a good move in the 57^th minute when Lewis Sloan and Graeme Bell combined to set up Jack Steele but the net bound shot was blocked.

The game was turning into a good contest and Annan breathed a huge sigh of relief when Andy Rodgers side footed Kevin Neilson to finish with a low shot past the upright.

The home supporters were silenced when Annan increased their lead to 3-1 in the 70^th minute. Again it was David Cox who converted the goal with an excellent finish when he collected the ball wide on the left cut inside his marker and finished with a swerving shot over the outstretched arms of Keeper Barcalay from the edge of the box.

Substitute Phil Storey had an excellent opportunity to increase Annan’s lead in the dying minutes when he intercepted a David King back pass but Barclay pulled off a brave save at the feet of the young striker when he attempted to weave his way past the keeper.

Annan manager Harry Cairney conceded that his team were fortunate to go in at the interval all square but the Annan boss was delighted that Annan had won their first away match of the season. "East Stirling were well on top in the first half, they were sharper and we struggled to cope with their game. The second half was different and we got a lift after going in front, we are a young team and the boys have the right spirit but they are learning that there are times when they need to go in and mix it with the opposition. The victory today was dedicated to our President Simon Aitken who sadly passed away this morning, he would have been delighted with the outcome.

Jim McInally the Shire boss was not happy "I really couldn't see it coming," said Jim. "I was sitting enjoying the performance and was thinking to myself how well we were playing. But we needed the second goal. If we had gone 2-0 up then that would have changed things completely. We simply couldn't find the killer punch and we paid for it, although their goals were down to our self-inflicted errors."

Jim also believes the players began to lose concentration when a number of refereeing decisions started going against them and, instead of maintaining the flow towards the Annan goal, they started to squabble with the match officials.

"I  could see it coming just before they equalised," he said. "One or two of them were starting to get angry with the way the fouls were going and maybe that distracted them. That said, the free-kick they got in the build-up to their goal wasn't anything like a free-kick.

"We were still in it at the start of the second half  but Paul Hay then made a really bad error and that let them in to take the lead. Maybe at that point some of the players just felt it wasn't going to be their day."  .