Stirling Albion manager Darren Young reckons Saturday’s clash with Stenhousemuir will prove a harder test than last week’s meeting with Dumbarton – because the Warriors have a “point to prove”.
Albion produced the perfect performance in their crunch match with the table-topping Sons, cruising to a 6-0 romp in front of their biggest home league attendance of the season.
A big first-half put them on easy street, with the shell-shocked league leaders having no real response as they limped into the break four goals down before shipping a further couple after the break.
It was a fourth straight win for the Binos, with the Forthbank side having rattled in 16 goals in those matches.
Gaffer Young praised the goals present throughout his squad and also talked up the role of a settled squad in helping his side hit the heights of recent weeks.
He said: “It was the best performance I’ve seen since coming in and that happening alongside the biggest crowd of the season, everything happening at the same time is just brilliant.
“There haven’t been many changes and we have a settled team. The players know what is expected of them and what their roles are and so it’s just about keeping up that consistency and confidence.
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“It’s great that we aren’t just relying on Dale and Thommo [Robert Thomson], but we’re getting goals from everywhere and the defenders are getting in on things – JoJo [Jordan McGregor] is getting stick for not scoring!”
The task doesn’t get any easier this weekend as they head to Ochilview for a clash with local rivals Stenhousemuir, with the third-placed Warriors keen to insert themselves firmly into the promotion picture with three points.
Albion came out on top in the sides’ first clash this season, a 3-0 win at Forthbank which saw the visitors reduced to ten men after just four minutes.
The Binos manager also confirmed injury doubts over the status of Jack Leitch, Robert Thomson and Kai Fotheringham for Saturday’s game after various knocks picked up during the Dumbarton match.
Young continued: “Everybody in the league will get a boost from the gap being cut from our result last week and it shows that anyone in this league can beat anyone on their day.”
He added: “I think Saturday might be a harder game with it being away from home and they will have a point to prove after the last game when they got a man sent off early doors.
“They have a good squad and will be up for it and will have been disappointed to draw last week.
“We’ve had them watched and know their strengths and weaknesses, so it’s all about starting well and taking our chances again.”
