Confident Albion eye top four place

Jan 28 2009

STIRLING Albion’s sensational 8-2 win over Stranraer means victory at Brechin on Saturday will lift them into the play-off places for the first time this season.

Allan Moore’s men scored seven goals in an incredible second half at Stair Park to make it five victories in their last six matches. The win edged them in front of Peterhead into fifth spot and now the top four is a real target, writes David Ogilvie.

Albion had already lost at Stranraer this season and Moore admitted to some concern at half-time with the score at 1-1 but his players responded in some style after the break and could easily have reached double figures.

The result saw Blues boss Derek Ferguson part company with the cash-strapped club – although Ferguson later claimed this wasn’t the case – as Albion came within one goal of recording their biggest ever league win, which currently stands at 7-0.

Moore said: “At half-time I gave the boys a bit of a roasting because we got a bit blasé after scoring after only five minutes and the game was too open. We missed a few chances but Stranraer were causing us problems. Scott Christie had a great save before the boy Michael Mullen scored the equaliser.

“At 1-1 we were looking at two points being dropped to the bottom club and we have dropped too many points to the teams below us but, to be fair, the second-half performance was immense.

“Getting two quick goals early in the second half killed the game and we could have go on to score 10 or 12. As well as scoring all the goals, we missed quite a few chances but I was delighted with Martin Grehan and David McKenna.

“The two strikers have formed a great partnership in the last few weeks and they both worked their socks off. I would have given young Jonny Boyle a chance from the bench but both Stewart Devine and Sean Roycroft were feeling their hamstrings a bit so we brought on Mark Docherty and Andy Lawrie instead.

“I was pleased that Chris Hamilton got a hat-trick. He looked shattered and I told him he had five minutes to score his third goal – which he did! The result was a great confidence boost for the players and it’s great for the fans who made the long journey as well.”

Stirling are desperate to maintain the momentum when they head for Glebe Park on Saturday to face a Brechin side who have already beaten them twice this season – 2-1 on the opening day then by the same score at Forthbank.

City’s form has dipped recently and they were pegged back at Glebe Park by Peterhead for a 1-1 draw at the weekend, but Jim Duffy’s men remain dangerous opponents and have several good players in their squad.

“We will go there with confidence because we are scoring goals but it won’t be an easy game,” said Moore. “Their strikers, John Baird and Gary Twigg are players I wouldn’t mind having in my squad and they will be looking for the win.”

Albion will again be without winger Nathan Taggart because of a back problem and Ross Forsyth serves the second of his three-match ban.

Stirling have no game on February 7 because opponents and fellow play-off hopefuls East Fife are involved in the Scottish Cup at Aberdeen. The Binos are at home to Peterhead the following weekend before ending the month with fixtures against Raith Rovers (away) and Arbroath (home).

Moore has secured the services of Falkirk defender Scott Gibb until the end of the season and is keen to keep Dundee United midfielder Ryan McCord for a longer spell, with the teenager due to return to Tannadice next week.

He said: “Some of the touches Ryan showed when he came on at Stranraer were a joy to watch and he should have scored a couple of goals. He gives us something different and I’d like to get him for another month or until the end of the season.

“I know the lad is happy to stay but I need to speak to Craig Levein. The problem might be that Scott Robertson is out injured now and there was talk of Willo Flood going to Celtic so I don’t know if Ryan might be needed for numbers.

“He understands that I don’t want to change a winning team but he is a quality player and if he is here for longer he will get his chance.

“As for Scott Gibb, I think it’s great news that he is staying. We have won a lot of games since he came to the club and has formed a good partnership with Sean Roycroft. We have a few options now and that keeps people on their toes.

“I still wouldn’t mind bringing in another striker. I’ve inquired about Mark Roberts at Partick and Iain Russell at Morton but I think they are reluctant to drop down a division. But sometimes things can change and you just want to be playing.

“I was offered Iain Williamson from Dunfermline but I don’t know a lot about him and we have talented young players in our squad like Liam Corr and Jonny Boyle who can do a job for us.”

Meanwhile, the SFA have confirmed that John O’Neill’s booking at Stranraer did not take him over the disciplinary points threshold. Moore feared the midfielder was set for a suspension but he is one yellow card away from it.