Binos focus on future

Nov 14 2008 by Donald Morton, Stirling Observer Friday

STIRLING Albion are facing more defensive worries as they prepare to take on bottom club Arbroath at Forthbank tomorrow (Saturday).

The Binos crashed 4-3 to Alloa at Recreation Park on Saturday and could now go into this weekend’s game without Andy Graham.

David Lowing is also a doubt and Ross Forsyth is definitely out of the meeting with an Arbroath team whose last win was against Albion in the CIS Cup way back in August.

Assistant manager John O’Neill confirmed that he and boss Allan Moore are exploring the possibility of a loan deal but a potential move to bring Andy Aitken to the club from Queen of the South does not look like happening now.

O’Neill said: “The situation at the moment is a bit of a worry. Andy Graham picked up a knee knock against Stranraer a couple of weeks ago and, although he made it for Alloa, he is struggling again and could miss out at the weekend.

“Ross Forsyth won’t be fit and David Lowing didn’t train on Tuesday because of a back problem. We need to wait and see how he is but obviously we don’t have many options, especially as Kevin Ross picked up an injury in a friendly match last week.

“We are trying to bring someone in on loan but I don’t know if that is going to happen. Sean Roycroft is also in our thoughts, as he is getting fitter all the time, and Paul Murphy is someone who could probably come in at the back if required.”

Arbroath have lost five games on the trot – most recently 2-1 to Brechin – and Albion won 2-1 at Gayfield when the sides met in Division Two at the end of August.

John McGlashan’s side have faded after a promising start and have picked up only two points on their travels but Arbroath won 3-0 on their most recent visit to Forthbank in December 2004.

O’Neill added: “It’s a big game for us because we are only six points off the play-offs and the teams immediately above us – East Fife and Peterhead – are away to the top two. If they drop points against Brechin and Raith and we can get a win then we’ll close the gap.

“We let everyone down on Saturday but we need to try and put it behind us. We are not going to forget about the Alloa game – that is for sure – but the focus now is Arbroath. It won’t be easy as we have had two close games against them.

“Alloa was very disappointing, particularly with it being a derby match, and from a personal point of view it was a bad afternoon because I was probably at fault for a couple of the goals.”

Stirling have managed just three wins in 13 games this season, with only one shut-out to their credit, but are looking for a second successive Forthbank victory, having edged out Stranraer 3-2 a fortnight ago. Their only home defeat so far was at home to joint leaders Brechin.

With a tough-looking trip to in-form Peterhead looming next weekend and December games against East Fife and Raith Rovers to follow – the Scottish Cup tie against Partick Thistle is on November 29 – Albion need three points this weekend.

“We are hoping to have Nathan Taggart back,” added O’Neill. “He didn’t train on Tuesday and missed the Alloa game because of illness but he is a fit lad and will hopefully be OK.”

The Albion assistant boss is the club’s joint-top scorer in Division Two with three goals, alongside Ian Harty and Martin Grehan, but he will be hoping Stirling’s players can make more of an impact in the scoring charts in the coming weeks, beginning tomorrow.