WE GOT WHAT WE DESERVED Binos gaffer refuses to make excuses for loss
Stirling Albion manager Kevin Rutkiewicz admits his side only came to life when they were two goals down against Elgin City on Saturday.
Goals from Shane Sutherland and Kane Hester had the visitors in command but Jordan McGregor reduced the deficit and Sean Heaver missed a good chance to earn the draw that would have lifted the Binos into the top four for the first time this season.
Instead they head for the capital to play Edinburgh City at Ainslie Park this weekend sitting in sixth spot, two points outside the playoff places. Stirling have already lost twice to City this season, most recently to a last-minute goal at Forthbank just before Christmas.
Reflecting on the 2-1 defeat to Elgin City, Rutkiewicz said: “I think we started about quarter past four and that’s about an hour too late – Elgin could have been more than two goals up but we made a game of it towards the end. On chances, we could maybe have nicked a point but the first hour was so flat and we were wasteful in the final third. We looked anxious and we were rushing things.
“We are in the mix and we need to bounce back against Edinburgh City on Saturday. There is a section of the support who still don’t believe and it’s up to us to get them onside. I would say the first hour was only the third time this season when my team haven’t turned up – it happened against Elgin in the Betfred Cup and Brechin here.
“For me, Elgin are one of the better teams in the league middle to front and when you are giving the ball away, they will hurt you eventually. Big Shane Sutherland drops into areas that teams find hard to combat and Kane Hester gets in behind defences – I think Elgin deserved their victory.”
On the recent poor home form, Rutkiewicz added: “The facts will say we have lost our last three here in League 2 so that dictates there is an issue. It’s only the players and myself that can turn that around and I will look at my selection and tactics but I thought we could have showed more quality on the pitch. This result won’t cost us a place in the top four – apart from Cove and Edinburgh, no-one has shown real consistency.
“I think we missed Kevin Nicoll’s presence in midfield and the good news is that the injury he got at Annan is not as bad as we feared but that doesn’t necessarily mean he will be OK for this weekend.”
The transfer window closes at midnight on Friday but clubs in League 1 and 2 will still have the option to bring in loan players until the end of February.
On-loan Rangers goalkeeper Nicky Hogarth is the only new recruit so far and Rutkiewicz said: “A lot of teams are busier than us but we were busy in the summer.
“We are in a good place in terms of the balance of the squad – the next player that comes in must affect the starting eleven and those players are thin on the ground.
“A second goalkeeper would be nice to get. We have had Owen (Stott) in on trial so it will either be Owen or another keeper.”
Jamie Murray’s Australian Open hopes lie with his mixed doubles partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands after his second round exit from the men’s event.
Americans Steve Johnson and Sam Querrey defeated Murray and Neal Skupski 4-6 7-6 7-6 to end their chances in the men’s doubles.
But in the mixed event, he has reached the quarterfinals with Mattek-Sands – with whom he won the US Open in 2018 and 2019 – and they are due to meet Zheng Saisai (China) and Joan Vliegen (Belgium).
In the first round the twotime US Open champions delivered a dramatic firstround upset, coming from a set down to defeat No.1 seeds Barbora Strycova and Marcelo Melo 3-6, 6-4, 10-7.
In round two they overcome the challenge of Jelena Ostapenko and Leander Paes by 6-2 7-5.