Boss warning as sluggish Rovers return

STENHOUSEMUIR .............................. 2 ALBION ROVERS ................................. 0

Brian Reid has warned his Albion Rovers side they need step up their performance levels after a sluggish display at Stenhousemuir consigned them to a seventh defeat of the season.

Goals from botti Biabi and Mark Mcguigan were enough forthe Warriors to earn victory as League two returned after almost three months.

Rovers remain just two points off the bottom of the table and boss Reid says they need to pick up to keep their survival hopes on track.

Boss Reid said :“it’ s important to remember that it wasthe first game in a while.it’s the first time our backfour and goalkeeper had played together and it was the same all overthe pitch.

“The break from our last training session on january 9 tothe game was longer than any pre-season so it did feel like the first gameof a season.

“The games are coming thick and fast so we just need to get ourselves going again quickly. there were some positives to take from the game but we need to improve and start to pick up points.

“It’s disappointing to lose because we probably deserved something out of the game but I’m disappointed that we didn’t create more.”

Saturday’s defeat against Stenhousemuir was Rovers’ first game since their Scottish Cup tie against Buckiethistle on boxing Day.

The rovers boss handed debuts to a host of new players including Ryan Stevenson, David Cox and goalkeeper Harry stone. Although their chemistry will improve in the coming weeks, Reid knows his side need to pick up points during a busy schedule.

Rovers’ main relegation rivals, Cowdenbeath and Brechin City, both failed to win onsaturday and Reid admitted that is a boost.

He said: “they were decentenough results for us but I try not to pay too much attention to other teams’ results.

“I’m only really worried about ourselves and we haveto focuson our performances because we can’t control results elsewhere.

“Our squad is more balanced now and we never had that before.the average age of our squad before the January window was 20 so we effectively played with an under -21 team in a man’s league.

“It was difficult but adding some experienced heads should help the younger boys.we still had two experienced centre-backs missing on Saturday and they’ll come back in and help the group.

“We had boys that hadn’t played football in along time but you could see their timing and performances improve as the game progressed.”

Back at it Rovers at Stenny (Pic: ARFC)