Mike says –

“We can have no complaints as the better side won yesterday. Stirling retained and passed the ball better than us especially in the first half and although we did get up a head of steam after the break neither keeper had that much to do over the 90 minutes.

No two games are the same but like last Wednesday we started on the back foot. The difference was whereas at Whitehill we eventually got our passing game going and created chances yesterday it was more sheer effort and bluster which took us near the Stirling goal in the final half hour.

We had 4 of our under 19 players on the bench yesterday due to injury and unavailability but we can have no excuses as Stirling have had a hard run of games and were also missing a couple of players. The only saving grace is the fact that we know we can do better and the players will be wanting to prove that against Whitehill.

It would be disrespectful to both The Vale and the Rosewell side to debate who has the better chance of picking up the league trophy so all we can do is to look forward to our trip to Ferguson Park. Hopefully Keith McLeod and John Grant will be available for Rosewell as Donal will unfortunately miss out. More on that game later in the week.

Mike

Mike says –

“That was hard work. Against a big, strong, well motivated home side we weathered the early storm and eventually got the ball down and passed it. Ferguson Park was in great condition last night but it isn’t the biggest pitch in our league and with a keeper who has and exceptional kick Whitehill had us on the back foot for long spells. We defended well however and the longer the game went on the more we were able to get some sort of control of the football. Rosewell is never an easy place to go and Sam and I are well aware we have to return there on league duty next week.

Everyone played their part last night but with Keith McLeod missing this weekend and Donal Henretty carrying an injury we decided to save the legs of Chris Anderson, Sean Wringe and Donal for Stirling. Jack Beesley and Jordan Finnie came into the side for their first start in a few weeks and both were magnificent. Sam and I now have to choose a team for Saturday and that won’t be easy given their performances and that of Donal Henretty as an emergency left back.

We will check the squad out this evening for any reactions to last night’s game and start preparing for a league decider. More on that tomorrow.”

Mike

Mike says –

“I’m surprisingly upbeat this morning. Not being around last Saturday to witness our defeat at Innerleithen I felt as low as I’ve ever done in football when writing my piece for the website. As I said to the players after the game against City yesterday “it’s easier taking a defeat when you witness it and see the effort and commitment your players have put in than when you hear things second hand.” Don’t get me wrong no-one likes to lose especially in a cup semi-final, at home, and for the second game in a row but football is a wonderful game and sometimes it just isn’t your day. The thing is not to over analyse the 90 minutes, apportion blame, look too deep into to what happened but to dust yourself down, keep the faith and look forward to the next game. We had plenty possession yesterday but weren’t sharp enough with our passing and invariably picked the wrong option. Our biggest fault was not working the City keeper more but a lot of that goes down to how well City set up and defended.

Yesterday was City’s day, end of. If any team in Britain at any level scored 3  better goals than our opponents yesterday I’ll eat my hat – make that hat’s as I’ve got quite a few. City sat behind the ball, broke at pace, in number and when Robbie Ross is in the mood you know you are in trouble. City weren’t a one man team however and I presume that’s as good a performance as they’ve given their management and supporters all season. 

We may look to others as though we’ve lost our way a bit but I’d be wary if that was their assumption. I for one am glad we are away to Whitehill next Saturday in what will be a cracking game. Our aspirations to finish on a high are very much still there in the home dressing room and in a season which started with a series World Cup goals hitting our net, middled with the McLeod saga and witnessed 3 wonder goals yesterday we have to think we’re due an even break. Because of our new surface our fixtures have been all away, then all at home and now we finish all away again.  

On Tuesday Sam, Mike and myself will lift the players who need lifting, remind the group of how good they really are when they focus on what they do well and start preparing for Rosewell on Saturday. We may have lost yesterday but it was great to be back in the dugout.”

Mike

Mike says –

“I signed as a player for Stirling Albion over 40 years ago and I’ve been involved with “senior” football ever since. In all that time I don’t think I’ve felt as low or been as down as I was in Palma airport on being texted our full-time score against The Vale by Craig yesterday. I woke this morning back in Edinburgh but feeling as depressed as I was in Spain reading “2 1 Vale 85 mins” on my mobile followed by “2 1 ft” a few minutes later.

Opening up our website to do this piece a few minutes ago and reading the sad news about 2003 coach John Buckley changed that. Football is only a game and my self indulgent pity and guilt at being unable to help Sam influence events at Innerleithen pale into insignificance against what the Buckley family are going through. For 2 years my wife Irene helped administrate Spartans 2003 and my son Murray was part of that group. My condolences go to the Buckley family and the thoughts of Irene, Murray and myself go out to them.

Football lifts you up, gives you moments of unbridled pleasure but can just as easily bring you back down to earth with a bump. I spoke briefly to Sam after the game yesterday and was taken by how strong and positive he appeared to be. Nothing has been lost and nothing won after yesterday’s results and maybe Ryanair’s decision a month ago to cancel the Palma to Edinburgh Friday night flight and leave the Lawson family an extra day on Mallorca was all part of this season’s great plan.

We’ll see over the coming weeks.”

Mike

Mike says –

“When the EOS website updated to show Leith had scored in 90+1 I felt even lower than I did after Jimmy Murray broke the news to me moments before. Minutes earlier the site had shown a Gretna equaliser then a winner for Stirling Uni on the back of it. Sitting in the sun away from the action can be soul destroying at times and it was yesterday.

Sam says we had chances to put the game to bed in the first half but paid the penalty as Leith stepped things up after the interval and deserved their late point saving goal. There is still everything to play for at the top of the table and we now have to concentrate on The Vale next weekend.

On the back of 3 or 4 shut-outs the last thing any team wants is 3 or their back 4 missing. With Danny O’Donnell away and both Ali MacKinnon and Dean Hoskins failing fitness tests before the game that’s what we got yesterday. Sam says however that Dr Seeley did themselves and the team proud in the improvised back four (Robbie Manson slotting in at right back) and that our problems were further up the park.

As I’ve told the players many, many times “winning leagues isn’t easy” and it looks like we could have to do it the hard way this season if the title is still in the balance on 12th May. Having said that there’s still a lot of football to be played between now and then and Whitehill for one will be rubbing their hands at having both Stirling and ourselves to play.

For now the players have to lift themselves up and prepare for the next game. There isn’t any other way.”

Mike

Mike says –

“As I’m in sunny Spain it’s up to Sam and the boys to get a result for me on Saturday away to Leith in a very important league game for both sides for different reasons.

Leith are on a great run but we don’t need reminding of how good a side they are. Twice at the Academy they were ahead of us by 3 goals in our home league fixture against the newcomers to the Premier division and everyone in the home dressing room that day knew how lucky we were to come away with the points. Leith are fighting for their lives and their recent results would indicate that they have every chance of staying where they think they belong.

We played very well last week at Gala  and a repeat performance would please both Sam and myself. Unfortunately we both know football isn’t that easy so we expect a difficult afternoon at Muirhouse. Danny O’Donnell is unavailable but we hope Ali MacKinnon has recovered from the knock he received at Gala and that Donal Henretty is back to full fitness. Whatever happens we know that there will be a few ups and downs before the season ends.

A few may have read a lot into Stirling’s draw with Lothian in the league during the week but Sam and myself have been in the game long enough to know that it aint over until it’s over.

That won’t be until May the 12th. Until then it’s a case of trying to win the game in front of us starting Saturday. Bring it on.”

Mike