Weir upbeat but no margin for error

Jim Weir is backing his Forfar players to haul themselves out relegation trouble but warns they have got to stop giving away goals.

Saturday’s 1-0 defeat against Alloa at the Indodrill Stadium saw the Loons drop into bottom place.

With one point between Albion Rovers, Queens Park and Forfar, it’s looking like the fight for survival will go down to the wire.

However, Weir believes Forfar can turn their fortunes around following a game where his men gave as good as they got.

“With the players we have got I feel there is enough quality in that dressing room – Dale Hilson is due back soon – to get ourselves out of the problem we are in,” he said.

“There are still 11 games to go. We are in a battle and everybody needs to battle it out together.

“We need to make sure that between now and the end of the season we don’t pick up needless bookings and suspensions because these last 11 games are so important to the football club.

“But the players have to start eradicating these 1-0 and 2-1 defeats.

“I don’t think there is any doubt we deserved something,” he said.

“I have had a real go. Those players in that dressing room have not seen me really go over the top, really lose the rag, but I had to do it at half-time – not in terms of the performance, but in terms of these wee things that make a difference to winning the games.

“I think 60% of games are won at set plays and that’s us lost our last two games through set plays.

“The lads were saying it was an absolute stonewall penalty with Dylan Easton.

“I feel for my players because they have put so much into the game but it was self-inflicted with the goal that we lose.”

The goal came in the first half, an Andy Graham header from Steven Hetherington’s delivery.

Forfar had their chances in the second half, none better than the one that fell to Greg Hurst but he headed wide.

I feel there is enough quality in that dressing room. JIM WEIR