Clyde up next for Stirling Albion

Jan 9 2013 by David Ogilvie, Stirling Observer

Stirling Albion make the short journey down the M80 to face Clyde on Saturday looking for their first away win of the season.

The Binos were beaten 3-2 at home by Queen’s Park at the weekend but there was plenty of encouragement, at least in an attacking sense, ahead of the trip to Cumbernauld.

Jim Duffy’s Clyde won 1-0 at Forthbank in August and are five points above Stirling in the Third Division table but went down 3-2 to Annan on the plastic pitch at Broadwood on Saturday.

Albion boss Greig McDonald, who welcomes back Gary Thom and Graham Weir after suspension, said: “Similar to the game at Montrose, I thought we deserved at least a point against Queen’s Park. We knocked on the door and must have had about 15 corners and put a lot of balls in the box.

“The guys gave me everything again in terms of effort and fight and hopefully the supporters could see that as well.

“ I think that eight of the 16 players involved have come through the youth academy and that shows what we are trying to do here.

“We were also short in the centre-half area because Gary Thom was suspended and Brian Allison was injured and I wasn’t able to play either because I have been in bed with the flu, so that’s why we had Jamie Clark and Kieran McAnespie in that area.

“Our full-backs Danny Ashe and Ross McGeachie had been ill as well so credit to them for managing to play. We had big Jack Stickler from the U19 team in the squad for the first time so it was nice for him to get his debut as a sub.

“Young Sandy Cunningham did well when he came on and there are plenty positives.

“We look like we can hurt teams but we just need to cut out some of the individual errors - I thought we more than matched a very good Queen’s Park side.

“I’ve never seen a team get as many direct free-kicks scored against them, I think that is four in the last four or five games.

“We’ve given away silly fouls at the edge of the box and we have been on at the guys not to do it, but we have certainly been punished.”

Queen’s Park manager Gardner Speirs said: “We broke well and scored a couple of very good goals.

“Stirling played with a lot of spirit and put us under pressure at times so I’m pleased to get the win. The pitch was a bit heavy but we have good fitness and our away form has been good.”

Prices for Saturday’s game against Clyde at Broadwood are £12 for adults and £6 for seniors/students. U16s go free of charge this weekend.

SAFC half season tickets are on sale, priced £75 for adults, £50 for seniors/citizens and just £15 for U17s. They cover the nine home matches starting against Annan on Saturday January 19.

The jackpot for the Stirling Albion Lotto today (Wednesday) has risen to £11,250.

There was no winner last week with three three-number winners collecting £83.33 - Fiona Davidson, Shaun Copland and Steven (at Fleurtations).

The numbers were 17, 28, 30 and 33.