Reds bosses raged at dropped points

Oct 8 2008 by David Ogilvie

STIRLING Albion assistant manager John O’Neill has called on the squad to develop a ruthless streak when the second quarter of the Division Two campaign begins on Saturday week.

The Binos ended the first stage of the season with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Queen’s Park at Hampden and are eight points adrift of league leaders Brechin, who visit Forthbank on October 18 after the SFL takes a break for the international weekend.

Three draws on the trot saw Albion extend their unbeaten sequence to six matches but they are four points adrift of the play-offs after two wins, five draws and two defeats.

O’Neill said: “The second-half performance against Queen’s Park just wasn’t acceptable. We totally dominated possession in the first half and got in front but one goal is never enough. Queen’s Park never looked like scoring but they got one chance and put it away.

“I felt sorry for the defenders because they looked in control and I don’t remember Myles Hogarth having a save to make in the whole game. It was there to be won by us but we need to develop a ruthless streak. This is the sort of game we need to be winning.

“We saw it at Raith when we couldn’t hold on to a lead then we were the better team against Peterhead but couldn’t get a goal. It was very frustrating not to win on Saturday – we have taken three points from the last three games but it should have been nine.”

Manager Allan Moore was still unhappy at the Hampden display when he discussed the match on Monday night and is looking for a reaction when the Binos take on East Stirling and Doune Castle in friendlies on Tuesday and Thursday of this week.

Moore said: “I was really angry after the game and left John O’Neill to do the press stuff in case I said something I shouldn’t have. It’s the worst I’ve felt for a long time after a game and I went home in a bad mood and fell out with the wife!

“We need to be winning these games if we want promotion but it was a poor performance. The game should have been dead and buried at half-time but we let Queen’s Park off the hook. The players need to work harder and I’ve told them that. Wee Ian Harty set a good example with his work-rate but we need more of that from some of the others.

“We were so slack in the second half it was unbelievable. Martin Grehan didn’t do what we had hoped for in attack so I put on Steven Waddell but it just didn’t happen for us. I don’t think it helped that Mark Docherty and Craig Molloy both picked up bookings. Their game is about getting in people’s faces but they had to be careful in case they were sent off.

“I think we missed John O’Neill big time but hopefully he will be fit for the Brechin game and I wouldn’t hesitate to use him up front in the coming weeks if the strikers aren’t scoring goals. Ian Harty has got a few but Martin Grehan hasn’t scored and David McKenna has only got one in the last 30-odd games. John is a guy who can sniff out a goal.

“We should hopefully have Stewart Devine back in a couple of weeks and that will give us more options on the left. The positive thing is that we have played everyone in the league and I don’t think anyone is better than us but we need to start winning games.

Meanwhile, Queen’s Park boss Gardner Speirs admitted his side were glad to take a point after a below-par performance against the Binos.

He said: “At half-time we would certainly have taken that result. We were lethargic in the first half but a bit better in the second half and we are pleased with the point. I’m delighted for Ian Watt who scored his first goal for the club. He has played well for the U19s this season and deserved his chance.”