The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Lessons need to be learned from Clyde defeat
Peterhead manager Jim McInally hopes his side’s off-day will serve as a warning they cannot afford to let their standards slip if they want to be crowned champions of League 2.
The Blue Toon let a lead slip as they conceded two goals in the final five minutes against Clyde at Balmoor last weekend and McInally hopes lessons have been learned.
He said: “If we had won the game the victory would have been a hollow one. The goal we scored was soft and undeserved. I felt Clyde were the better side and there were too many individuals who didn’t play well.
“When you have half of your team having a poor day you will be punished by a team of Clyde’s quality and that’s what happened to us. It was a setback, but we’ve bounced back from them before and we will again after this one.
“No team is unbeatable at our level and it was one of those days where we lost to a better team. It’s only our third defeat and we’re in January, so I’m not concerned.
“The big positive from the weekend was the fact Edinburgh City lost as well which means we will still go top if we win our game in hand but it’s important we get back into the winning habit straight away.”
The Blue Toon travel to Cliftonhill today to face an Albion Rovers side fighting to stay in the division, and McInally knows the qualities which were absent against the Bully Wee a week ago must be present this afternoon.
He said: “Albion Rovers are much improved since we last played them. They’ve got half a dozen new players and a new manager, and Cliftonhill is always a difficult place to go.
“They are not far from the last chance saloon so we know they are going to fight for everything. We have to do what we didn’t do last weekend which is win the second balls and our individual battles.”