Binos aim to dim the red Lichties

Feb 27 2009

STIRLING Albion manager Allan Moore has urged his side to make the most of home advantage as they prepare for the clash tomorrow (Saturday) with Arbroath.

This is the first of five Forthbank fixtures out of seven in the space of just four weeks, with Alloa next to visit on Tuesday night, kick-off 7.30pm, writes David Ogilvie.

Play-off rivals Brechin, Peterhead and East Fife are all due in town before the end of March, with Albion’s only away games next month at Alloa and Queen’s Park.

Only two points separate four clubs in the chase for a top-four finish and it’s a big weekend, with fourth-placed Brechin at home to an East Fife team just above them and Peterhead, in fifth, travelling to leaders Raith Rovers.

Moore said: “We have done well away from home recently but we have a run of home games coming up and we need to take as many points as possible, hopefully starting with six from the two games against Arbroath and Alloa.

“That won’t be easy as Arbroath have won their last three games and Alloa beat us at their place the last time but we are on a good run ourselves. It’s important that we beat the teams below us if we want to make it into the play-offs.

“I think that race will go right to the wire, to be honest. I don’t see anyone catching Raith or Ayr now so there are four of us going for two places,” added Moore, who takes Albion to Peterhead and East Fife late in the season ahead of a final game at home to Queen’s Park on May 9.

Stirling’s current run of five wins and a draw began with a 2-1 success at Gayfield on December 27 when David McKenna’s double proved decisive.

John McGlashan’s men won 2-0 at Forthbank in mid-November and are looking for a fourth straight victory following home wins against Alloa and Queen’s Park .

Moore has confirmed that skipper Ross Forsyth will return to the side for the first time since being sent off in the 2-0 win over Ayr United on January 17, with his three-match ban finally up. The full-back came through a bounce game in midweek.

On-loan Falkirk centre-half Scott Gibb also missed the 1-1 draw at Raith because of ankle injury and didn’t train on Tuesday. It will be a blow if he is not fit enough to face Arbroath, particularly as fellow defenders Andy Lawrie and David Lowing are also struggling with knocks.

John O’Neill is available after a one-match ban and the Binos boss must decide whether to restore the experienced midfielder to the startling line-up or stick with on-loan youngster Ryan McCord, who returns to Dundee United after the Alloa match at Recreation Park next weekend.

Recent signing Michael Mullen replaced Chris Hamilton wide on the right during the second half at Kirkcaldy but the ex-Stranraer man is again likely to start on the bench and Martin Grehan and David McKenna are set to continue up front.

The pair have shared nine goals in the past six games and at least one of them has scored in each match during that run of five wins and a draw - which is one of the reasons for Stirling’s rise in fortunes, if not up the table.

Moore added: “It was disappointing to look at the papers and see us down a place to sixth after the weekend. I felt we could have beaten Raith because we had a couple of chances near the end but overall a draw was probably a fair result and we are very close to the top four now.”

Tomorrow’s encounter against a Red Lichties’ team who have recovered well from an autumn slump could be awkward but victory would set the Binos up perfectly for the double header with Alloa.