THERE’S SO MUCH TO BUILD ON
Binos boss is targeting Elgin win
Stirling Albion manager Kevin Rutkiewicz is hoping his side can continue their unbeaten start to their League Two season when they welcome Elgin City to Forthbank on Saturday.
The Binos have beaten Annan Athletic and Brechin City in their last two outings and are sitting in second place in the table, two points behind leaders and favourites Queen’s Park.
Albion completed their Betfred Cup Group D campaign with a 3-0 defeat to Ross County in Dingwall on Saturday but their performance was encouraging despite the result.
Elgin beat Stirling 2-0 at Borough Briggs in the Betfred Cup last month but their hopes of progressing to the last 16 were ended by a 3-0 defeat to Gayfield at the weekend.
Gavin Price’s men kicked off in League Two with emphatic backto-back wins over Stranraer and Brechin but have since lost 1-0 to both Edinburgh City and Queen’s Park and will be without striker Kane Hester who is suspended.
Stirling beat Montrose 2-1 on cup business last midweek and Rutkiewicz believes they are in good shape going into the Elgin match at Forthbank before an away double header against Albion Rovers on November 28 and Stranraer on December 5.
He said: “I was delighted with the performance against Ross County but the nature and timing of the second goal from the penalty just after half-time killed the tie for us.
“It was unlike Jordan Mcgregor to lose focus and I am certainly not going to criticise him. He has been excellent for us but it was exactly what Ross County needed because up until that point we had frustrated them and played some decent football of our own.
“We got into some really good areas in the first half – Declan Byrne was causing them no end of problems and Jack Leitch was linking up well.
“My only criticism was that we got into some good positions but were reluctant to shoot and seemed to lack a bit of belief.
“If we were playing a League Two team then I think boys might have pulled the trigger with some of the chances we had.”
He added: “A 3-0 defeat is hard to swallow but I feel like I could watch that first hour back and be very happy.
“By the end Ross County had a few chances and hit the post and the bar but on another day we could also have sneaked one or two goals.”
Rutkiewicz hopes defender Paul Mclean will be able to return to training this week ahead of the Elgin match after being forced off early in last month’s 2-2 draw at Stenhousemuir with a muscle injury and winger Scott Roberts will be back in the squad after being rested at the weekend.