Albion head to Elgin

Aug 17 2012 by David Ogilvie, Stirling Observer Friday

STIRLING Albion boss Greig McDonald believes there is more to come from his side, despite them kicking off the Third Division campaign with a 5-1 home win over Annan.

Goals from Scott Davidson, Graham Weir, Danny Ashe, Jamie Clark and Gavin Macpherson saw the Binos storm to the top of the opening-day table as they took full advantage of the first-half dismissal of Annan forward Graeme Ramage to rack up a 4-0 interval lead.

Stirling travel to Elgin tomorrow for their first visit to Borough Briggs since April 2004, when a Colin McKinnon goal earned them a 1-0 win en route to promotion from Division Three.

Basement

City have been in the basement since joining the Scottish Football League in 2000 but have made vast strides under manager Ross Jack and only champions Alloa won more home games last season. Elgin finished in fourth spot and were unlucky to lose to Albion Rovers in the play-off semi-finals.

They began 2012/13 with an incredible 7-5 defeat to Arbroath in the Ramsdens Cup then lost 2-0 at Falkirk in the Communities League Cup before beginning their Third Division programme with a 0-0 draw against Berwick Rangers at Shielfield, despite playing much of the game with 10 men.

Midfielder Daniel Moore is suspended for tomorrow’s match as a result of his red card, while Albion welcome back defender Kieran McAnespie from a one-match ban. Shaun Fagan and Bradley Coyne miss out through injury but it is still too early to tell how long the latter will be sidelined.

Coyne, a summer signing from Forfar, was carried off with a knee injury just before half-time on Saturday and the 19-year-old’s progress was due to be assessed last night (Thursday).

Binos boss McDonald said: “Ross Jack has put together a good team and we face a really difficult game. They had an excellent season last year and we had them watched when we thought we might be in the play-offs.

“It was a great start for us against Annan but I feel we can play better.

“Perhaps the most pleasing thing was to score three goals from corners. I am always confident that we will get goals from open play but I’m conscious of the fact we haven’t done enough from set-pieces in the past. They are a very important part of the game and we have been working on them.”

Weekend goalscorer Davidson is hoping Stirling can pick up where they left off against Annan and make it two wins out of two when they face Elgin.

The 20-year-old said: “I thought their sending-off looked a bit soft but these things happen and we took our chances. Iit’s not like us to score three goals from corners.

“The whole team were brilliant. Everything came off for us in the first half. We were a bit slack in the second half and that shouldn’t happen but we have to be happy with five goals.

“We needed a good start to the season after last year and the fans were brilliant, which is a big help. Promotion was our aim before Rangers were in the league and that hasn’t changed.”

Albion said the crowd for Saturday’s home game against Annan was 646 and not the figure of 519 released on the day.

A club spokesman said: “It became clear after the game that the link between one of the turnstiles and the computer had failed but a count of cash received and season vouchers counted revealed the true tally.”

Season tickets are still on sale. The office will be open late on Thursday between 4-7pm.