Boost for Binos at the double

Feb 6 2009 by Donald Morton, Stirling Observer Friday

STIRLING Albion boss Allan Moore has won the Irn Bru Second Division Manager of the Month award for January.

Moore's Albion side had an unbeaten month with wins over the top three clubs – Ayr, Raith and Brechin plus a thumping 8-2 win at Stranraer.

Only a few short weeks ago, some fans were calling for his head following a 3-0 home reverse against Queen’s Park but the club’s fortunes have revived and last weekend’s win at Glebe Park hoisted them into third spot in the table.

More good news came down Forthbank way when Moore (right) exten-ded the loan deal of Dundee United midfielder Ryan McCord until March 7.

The manager was keen to keep the talented teenager at Forthbank until the summer but Tannadice gaffer Craig Levein was reluctant to sanction such a lengthy move and Moore had to make do with a 28-day extension to his loan arrangement.

McCord has yet to start a match for the Reds but has impressed after coming on as a substitute. He scored a terrific goal in the recent 2-0 win over Ayr United and has enjoyed his time at the Second Division club.

Stirling have no match on Saturday as scheduled opponents East Fife are involved in a Scottish Cup fifth-round tie at Aberdeen.

McCord is likely to get his first start the following weekend when play-off rivals Peterhead arrive at Forthbank.

That is because John O’Neill picked up his sixth booking of the season in Saturday’s 2-1 win at Brechin. That took him through the disciplinary threshold and the SFA have confirmed that the midfielder must serve a one-match ban.

Ross Forsyth will complete his three-game suspension against the Blue Toon so both he and O’Neill will be available for the February 21 trip to leaders Raith Rovers before Stirling end the month with a home match against Arbroath.

Moore said: “We would like to have kept Ryan McCord until the end of the season because that is the business end of things and we obviously hope to be involved in the play-offs but Craig Levein wasn’t willing to let us have him for that long.

“The fans can see the quality that he has and he will probably come into the team against Peterhead because John is out. We put him on wide right against Brechin and he almost got a goal but he is more of a central player.”

The Binos boss admits he is disappointed that there is no match this weekend after his team made it five wins on the trot at Glebe Park.

He said: “We would like to have played as everyone except Nathan Taggart is fit and the whole place is buzzing at the moment. That said, it gives the players a rare weekend off and they deserve it. We won’t be training on Saturday but will have hard sessions on Thursday night and again on Tuesday.

“It’s been a really great run and we want to keep it going. We brought in a lot of new players in the summer and it has taken a few months for everything to come together. We lost players to Ayr because they have more money and it was the same with Raith Roversas they are full-time but we are going well now.

“I thought the turning point was when we won at East Fife but then we were hammered 3-0 by Queen’s Park the following week. Looking back, it was the 2-1 win at Arbroath, when we had to dig in for a result, which got us going again.

“We might not play the silky football of the team that got promoted two years ago but there is a toughness and determination about the players. The conditions at Brechin were difficult but fitness wasn’t a problem for us and the guys were willing to go in where it hurts to make sure we got the three points.

“A few weeks ago we were nowhere so it is testament to the work put in by the players that we are up to third in the league. I always said the target was to get in the top four and then see what happens after that.”

Raith and Ayr look set to fight it out for the title, leaving East Fife, Brechin, Peterhead and Stirling vying for two top-four slots, with only a point between the teams at present.

If the play-offs began tomorrow, Albion would face Ayr and East Fife would take on a Clyde team second from bottom in Division One but there is an awful long way to go before the nerve-jangling fixtures on May 13, 16, 20 and 23.