PERFECT STAGE FOR A QUICK RECOVERY BINOS BOSS HAS HAMPDEN BUZZ
Stirling Albion boss Kevin Rutkiewicz is backing his players to respond to last week’s 4-2 defeat by Brechin City when they face Queen’s Park at Hampden tomorrow.
The Binos drew twice at the National Stadium last season but are looking for the win that would take them above Mark Roberts’s side in the Ladbrokes League 2 table.
Rutkiewicz said: “There was nothing in the game with Queen’s Park at Forthbank on the opening day of the season but a moment of magic decided the game in their favour. We have improved since then and we go to Hampden fully confident we can win this game.
“Queen’s Park have had some good results recently, including against Queen of the South in the Scottish Cup, so we know it will be difficult.
“The games between the teams tend to be tight, with not too many chances – we have tended to cancel each other out but there’s not a better place in Scottish football to bounce back.
“I’m always excited going to Hampden – what an arena for the players to go and get a game of football. If we can get a result then we roll into the Edinburgh City game next week withonly two defeats in 11 games and full of confidence – and the Brechin game will look like a blip.” Looking back on last weekend’s loss to the bottom club, Rutkiewicz said: “Too many players just weren’t at it against Brechin and the better team won. We can’t afford too many days like that and we need to go on another wee run. The back five were unsettled on Saturday and Paul McManus was a big factor – he was aggressive and we failed to deal with him.
“There was an arrogance about our performance after the first 15 minutes and I didn’t like that.
“We were almost playing 4-2-4 at times and didn’t do enough without the ball and we maybe missed Kevin Nicoll in the middle of the park. Dylan Mackin was our best player on the day and Sean Heaver got another goal but he didn’t have his best day.”
Keeper Blair Currie ( left) had a game to forget as he saw a clearance from Bannockburn-based Brechin keeper Lewis McMinn bounce over his head and into the net.
But Rutkiewicz is backing him to bounce back.
He said: “Blair had a day that I’ve never seen him have in his career, never mind with us.
“It’s a freak for him and he has the mentality to shake that off.
“Nobody played a bigger part in the win at Elgin a couple of weeks ago than Blair and he has earned the right to have an off-day.
“There won’t be wholesale changes for Saturday but there are places up for grabs.”
Left-back James Creaney retuned to training on Tuesday as did Kevin Nicoll and both could face Queen’s Park tomorrow after missing the last couple of games.