Weir frustrated by lack of consistency in relegation fight

STRANRAER 2 FORFAR ATHLETIC 0

Forfar Athletic boss Jim Weir has called on his side to show greater consistency if they are to escape relegation.

The Loons, missing Mark Millar through work commitments, have only won back-to-back league games twice this season – on both occasions against Albion Rovers and East Fife.

They face the Coatbridge side next weekend, knowing victory would see them within touching distance of securing League One football for next season.

Weir said: “We’re really disappointed because, the way other results have gone, we feel it was an opportunity that has slipped us by.

“We are just lacking consistency. It does not help when you have got to change the team.

“Winning a game like today would have taken the pressure off next week’s game. There are four games to go and we are still in a relegation battle.”

Stranraer took the lead after just six minutes when Scott Agnew’s shot from the edge of the box squirmed beyond the reach of Marc McCallum and into the bottom right corner.

Loons striker Dale Hilson came close to levelling but the hosts doubled their lead when Ross Lyon’s deflected effort wrongfooted McCallum.

Forfar were the better side after the break with Dylan Easton striking the crossbar from 20 yards before Max Currie denied Murray MacKintosh.

The Station Park boss called for his team to stick together when the going gets tough.

He said: “When they had the lead, Stranraer’s tails were up. There was a wee bit more urgency about them, a wee bit more self-belief, a wee bit more hunger as a team.

“I felt that we just started to point the finger, blame each other, look for excuses and the workrate levels dropped.

“It was not until the last half-hour that we seemed to pick up the pace again.

“The goalkeeper has had a couple of great saves, Dylan has hit the bar but it was one of those days where my front players have had an off day.”

The Loons remain four points ahead of ninth-placed Albion Rovers and Queen’s Park, who drew 0-0 with Airdrieonians, with four matches still to play – one of them against the Hampden Park outfit.