Missed chances cost us cup win

Dec 5 2008

MISSED CHANCES COST US CUP WIN

STIRLING Albion are due to take on league leaders Raith Rovers at Forthbank tomorrow (Saturday), seeking their first victory since beating Stranraer 3-2 on November 1.

The Raith outfit have lost just once in 15 games this season and top the table from Brechin on goal difference, with Ayr a point further back.

Peterhead are fourth and East Fife fifth, with the Binos six points short of the play-offs in sixth position but there is the chance to make up ground, as the Blue Toon’s match at Stranraer is off due to their opponents having a delayed Scottish Cup encounter away to Forfar to fulfil.

Albion boss Allan Moore again has a number of injury worries to contend with. Ross Forsyth is out until the new year after recent knee surgery and Andy Graham faces two or three weeks on the sidelines with a calf strain picked up in the 3-2 defeat to Partick Thistle.

Ian Harty and Nathan Taggart are also out and John O’Neill is doubtful with the back injury sustained in the 1-1 draw at Peterhead a fortnight ago. Martin Grehan did not train on Tuesday but Moore is hopeful he will be fit to face Raith.

The latest casualty is goalkeeper Myles Hogarth, who thankfully avoided serious injury when his car ended up in a ditch after he was forced to swerve to avoid a deer. Hogarth, who has been replaced by Scott Christie for the last two matches, has been told to take things easy for a couple of weeks.

Moore said: “I think the injury situation at the moment and over recent weeks is as bad as it has been in my entire time – and I’ve been here a long time. It’s been unbelievable really.

“We just need to get on with it though and we played well against Raith the last time when they required a last-minute penalty – after we had missed one – to get a 1-1 draw.

“I don’t think we have had the rub of the green this season and we played some great football against Partick Thistle last week. The reason we are out of the cup is that we missed too many chances and we need to address that.”

Moore revealed that on-loan St Mirren midfielder Craig Molloy is keen to extend his stay beyond the December 20 expiry of his current deal.The Binos boss will investigate whether SFL rules permit such a move.

He said: “Craig would like to stay on and we will look at that. I think he had a bit of a slow start when he joined us but I feel he has got to grips with what the Second Division is all about now and has scored a few goals as well.”

Moore is still looking to add to his squad in January and has spoken to Tommy Wilson at Rangers in the hope that they might be able to get a young player on loan.

The Clydesdale Bank U19 and SPL reserve leagues go into hibernation for the winter within the next couple of weeks.