Rout is still not enough for Greig

Stoneyburn ................ 0 Gartcairn ................... 5 Pre-season Friendly Davie Greig has called for huge improvements from his Gartcairn players — despite a thumping five-goal win over Stoneyburn in pre-season.

The manager thought that there had to be huge improvements from the Airdrie side as they got ready for the new campaign, noting that they needed “sharpness and quality”after the convincing victory.

The performance follows a heavy defeat on the road to Irvine Meadow last week, where five goals were smashed past Greig’s men.

He believes there is still a lot more to come from the host of new players they have brought in this summer.

“We were decent at times and we were happy with the five goals and a clean sheet,”he told the Advertiser.

“There was some of the players who we were a bit disappointed in and wanted to see a lot more from them even at this stage.

“Yes, we got goals, and yes, we won the game. That’s totally separate from the actual performances of some individuals.

“We don’t have that long to get ready for the new season and we need to improve quickly.

“We want to be a team that is challenging at the top of our league and we need to show that in pre-season.

“We realise that it’s all about getting that sharpness back and we will keep working on that in training.

“If we had been at our best we would have won by more goals.

“In the games I need to see that bit extra from some of the boys going forward.”

In the last pre-season fixture Cairn will welcome Super League Premier side Clydebank to MTC Park, and Greig wants to see something different from his squad.

“We won’t be able to play like we did against Stoneyburn when we play Clydebank.

“They are a top side and will really test us. I see that as a good thing after the performance at the weekend.

“We just have to keep working and improving as a squad.”