Rovers take a huge step towards safety

BRECHINCITY ........................................ 2 ALBION ROVERS ................................... 4

Albion Rovers boss Brian Reid insists their League Two survival is far from secured despite marching nine points clear of bottom side Brechin with a 4-2 win on Saturday.

The Cliftonhill side claimed a huge three points thanks to goals from Lewis Wilson, Paul Gallagher, Ryan Stevenson and Callum Wilson.

It leaves Brechin – who had Christopher Mckee sent off late on either side of consolation goals from Rory Currie and player/manager Michael Paton – six points adrift of nearest rivals Annan at the foot of the table and staring at a potential relegation play-off, should the pyramid play-offs be given the green light.

Rovers can breathe a bit easier but Reid stressed there is still plenty of work to be done as they prepared to host Cowdenbeath on Tuesday night as the Advertiser went to press and a trip to Elgin on Saturday.

Reid said: “There’s still a lot of points to be played for and we are certainly taking nothing for granted. We still need to stay focused and keep working hard.

“We won’t get carried away with it, keep believing. We feel confident in every game we play now that we’ve got a chance, that’s the good thing.

“Credit to the players because they’ve worked really hard. It was a big ask for this group of players because we’d almost put a new team together when we started back – with seven or eight new additions – so it’s a credit to them. Since we’ve come back we’ve been on a good run of form.”

Rovers have lost just once in their last five outings as League Two heads towards its end of season split and Reid is delighted to see their goals coming from all over the pitch.

Six of the seven goals scored across those games have come from different goalscorers, with Ryan Stevenson the only one on target twice.

And Reid, whose side drew 1-1 with Stirling last Tuesday after beating Cowdenbeath 1-0 last Saturday, added: “It’s always pleasing when you get goals from different areas and that’s what I’ve been asking for all season.

“Everybody has got to chip in, make it work at set-pieces and take your chances when they come along so we are delighted with that, but we are not getting carried away.

“As long as we keep doing what we are doing, hopefully we can keep picking up points. It’s been a big week for us.”

Pic: Ben Kearney/arfc Job done Stevenson, left, celebrates his goal against Brechin City