LET’S BEAT BULLY WEE
Binos manager Mackay targets comeback
Stirling Albion manager Dave Mackay knows a big improvement is required to get their Ladbrokes League 2 campaign up and running against Clyde at Forthbank on Saturday.
The season got off to a disappointing start at the weekend when the Binos lost 1-0 away to Berwick Rangers. Albion had a goal disallowed in the first half and hit the woodwork three times before the break, but faded badly in the second period and Ross Brown grabbed the winner in 65 minutes.
Clyde have been tipped by many to lift the trophy come May and Danny Lennon’s men defeated Cowdenbeath 2-0 in their first fixture, with David Goodwillie again on target. Stirling won 2-1 when the sides last met at Forthbank in February but lost by the same score at Broadwood in April.
Midfielder Kevin Moon and defender Kyle Banner will be available again after missing the Berwick game due to onematch bans but Darren Barr and Darren Smith remain on the injury list.
Mackay said: “It was obviously a very disappointing start to the season and it was definitely a game of two halves. Without being great in the first half we hit the woodwork three times and also had the goal disallowed when Kevin Fell scored with the header.
“It didn’t look offside at the time and having seen it again it looks like it was a wrong decision by the assistant referee.
“In the second half we didn’t do things quickly enough. Too many of the passes weren’t getting us up the pitch and Berwick seemed to grow in confidence. When they got the goal it gave them a real lift and it had the opposite effect on us.
“We didn’t react well and didn’t really test their goalkeeper. Mark Stewart had a chance at the end with a crosscome-shot but our performance in the second half wasn’t good enough.
“With so many players out injured and suspended we didn’t have too much on the bench to change things. The young lads have done well but we are missing some big players at the moment.
“Darren Barr shouldn’t be out for too long now that he’s had his knee surgery and Darren Smith is due to get an injection today (Wednesday) to try to ease the pain in his lower back area.”
The Binos boss is hoping to add to his squad ahead of the weekend and insists his side have what it takes to get the better of Clyde despite their poor start.
“The Clyde game is a good one for us to have on Saturday,” said Mackay. “They and Peterhead are the two fancied teams in this division but, as we have seen before, no-one is invincible. We will need to play better than we did down at Berwick and I’m sure we will.
“It’s only one game and there are 35 more go. Last year we had a great start but didn’t achieve our aims because of two really poor runs. The important thing this season is to have more consistency over the whole campaign and hopefully we can start that on Saturday.
“I’m expecting to be able to add a central midfielder to the squad before the Clyde game. It’s an area we are short in after the departure of Willie Robertson and it also means we’ve had to play Danny Jardine quite deep whereas I’d rather use him further forward.”