Another chance to swat the Wasps

Mar 6 2009 by Donald Morton, Stirling Observer Friday

STIRLING will attempt to step up their play-off push by beating local rivals Alloa in the second part of this week’s derby double header at Recreation Park tomorrow (Saturday).

The sides played out a disappointing goalless draw at Forthbank on Tuesday, a result that extended the Binos’ unbeaten run to eight games but followed a stalemate against Arbroath.

Stirling go into the weekend in fifth spot, above East Fife on goal difference, but three points behind Peterhead who were easy winners at Stranraer on Wednesday. The Reds are the same margin behind a Brechin outfit who also have a game in hand.

Key fixtures tomorrow are Brechin’s trip to Arbroath, East Fife’s meeting with Raith and Peterhead’s clash with Queen’s Park but positive results elsewhere will mean little if the Binos slip up at Recreation Park for the second time this season.

Back in November, The Wasps hung on for a 4-3 win, having been 4-1 up at one stage, and they have also defeated Ayr at home in recent weeks in a sequence that has brought just one defeat in five games to Allan Maitland’s side.

Binos boss Allan Moore was deeply disappointed with Tuesday’s draw but knows it will be just as tough when the sides go head to head again tomorrow.

He said: “It didn’t help that the referee was giving so many free-kicks in the first half because it was so stop-start but we didn’t take our chances and that cost us. It always looked like one goal would win and Michael Mullen missed a great chance.

“It was pretty poor from both teams overall and it is really disappointing that we are not playing the free-flowing football of a few weeks ago. We are struggling to get in behind people and our passing in the second half wasn’t good considering how much possession we had.

“This and the Arbroath game are ones we need to be winning but I’ve said before that there are no easy matches and that will be the case between now and the end of the season because nearly every team has something to play for.

“The two teams cancelled each other out and it will be another hard game on Saturday. The plastic pitch isn’t a problem because we train on it but if you are playing on it every second week then maybe it gives you a wee advantage.

“The last time we went there we were not up to the pace of the game and we were back to that in patches of Tuesday’s match. I’m very, very disappointed with the way we played. The draws killed us in the First Division and we don’t want the same thing to happen again.

“We are missing Nathan Taggart and Chris Hamilton to give us that bit of pace and width. We don’t have any fresh injury worries but it doesn’t look as if we are going to get Nathan back this season and Chris is to see a specialist this week about his hernia problem.”

Andy Graham is out for a month with a hamstring injury but Ryan McCord is available after a one-match ban and Moore will speak to Craig Levein to see if he can extend the Dundee United midfielder’s loan for another month.

Meanwhile, Wasps gaffer Maitland was pleased with the resilience his players showed at a ground where they lost 3-2 in September.

He said: “It was two honest teams giving it their all and it’s not the worst 0-0 draw I’ve ever seen. Stirling had a 15-20 minute spell in the second half when John O’Neill caused us real problems and at that time they were on top and looked like they would win it. We dug in and the substitutions helped us.”