Concerns prevail for boss Moore

Oct 22 2008 by Stephen Robertson, Stirling Observer Wednesday

STIRLING Albion boss Allan Moore could barely hide his frustration and disappointment after watching his side lose out to table-topping Brechin City at Forthbank at the weekend.

The manner of the 2-1 defeat on Saturday, and in particular the Binos’ lacklustre performance in the first 45, also left Moore with a sense of deja vu following their previous results in recent weeks.

He also highlighted individual errors and a failure to take clear-cut chances as the reasons that Albion currently sit sixth in the league, already 11 points off the pace.

Moore said: “It was disappointing again. We started the first half the way that we finished the second half at Queens Park a couple of weeks ago. Sluggish, not taking responsibility and individual errors cost us the first goal again. That’s been the problem so far this season.”

The Binos rode their luck at the back in the early stages of the game and it only seemed like a matter of time before Brechin got their noses in front. And so it proved, Nathan Taggart shipping possession in his own half to gift City the opening goal just five minutes before half time.

It would be fair to say that Moore wasn’t happy with the manner in which the goal was conceded.

He said: “If they took on board what I was telling them, then we wouldn’t be losing goals. But bringing balls down and trying to dribble in your own last third of the pitch is a cardinal sin. Nathan has been told that on numerous occasions and the quicker he gets that in his head the better.”

Moore added: “The fans seem to love wee Nathan. But I’ve told him that his tricks and flicks are no good unless we get an end product. If we get an end product off him then he’ll be a world-beater because he can go by people as if they’re not there. But his decision making lets him down time and time again.”

Brechin’s second goal also concerned Moore. He added: “That was just a big long ball to the back post that wasn’t defended well enough and we’re 2-0 down.

“In this division if you go 2-0 down, especially against Brechin who are top of the league, then they can sit in and make it difficult.

“In the second half I felt that we came out and played some really good stuff. We got the belief when we got the goal but it shouldn’t take us getting a goal just to get a bit of belief.”

Moore continued: “We played Brechin up there in the first game of the season and it was exactly the same. They went 1-0 up and we battered them. It should’ve been 5-1 and then they’ve scored a goal with four minutes to go to beat us. That’s the story of our season so far – we are not taking the chances that are arriving.”

Moore also said that the fans may have to accept that there sometimes might be games when route one is the way to bag the three points rather than attempting to play silky football.

He said: “I think the problem we’ve got at Stirling is that fans expect us to play a lot of good football all the time. But in this division, sometimes you’ve just got to lump the ball up the park.

“But with lumping the ball up the park, the fans go mental and they start getting on the players’ backs then that doesn’t make them play any better.

“They’ve been used to good football over the last four-and-a-half years but now we’ve got to dig in and dig results out to be honest, and if it means kicking the ball up the park it means kicking the ball up the park. As long as we get the goals and we get the victory.”

Looking ahead to Saturday’s game against third placed Ayr United at Somerset Park, the Albion gaffer said: “As you saw on Saturday, Ayr were 1-0 up against Raith Rovers and they got beat 3-2. In this league on the day anybody can beat anybody, so we’ll be down there next week and hopefully can pick up three points.”