Stirling boss urges side to fight for playoff lives despite East Fife defeat

Daily Record

23-04-2025

Stirling Albion's playoff chances were blown off course on the banks of the North Sea ... but the Binos boss insists his side are still in the fight heading into their final home match of the season. Albion went into the match sensing an opportunity to propel themselves firmly into the reckoning for the top four heading to an up-and-down East Fife outfit, while their play-off rivals faced tricky encounters of their own. But the young Stirling side was given a reality check of the standards at the top of the division as Nathan Austin wreaked havoc once again with two goals inside the opening half-hour after some lack lustre defending from the visitors. The 2-0 defeat, coupled with a big win for Elgin against Peterhead, means Stirling now sit five points behind the Moray side in the playoff fight with two matches remaining. Two wins to finish their season - starting with the home match against Clyde on Saturday - are now a necessity and the Binos must also hope other results go their way. The Binos fans were left unhappy with some of boss Alan Maybury's decisions through the game, but the Binos gaffer believes there was much to take from his side's performance, particularly in the second 45. The Irishman said: 'In the first half, we played alright but made a couple of bad decisions and the wind didn't help in terms of kicking into that and the ball is coming back to us. 'They're a big, physical side so we knew it was a day we needed to play a little more and the team picked reflected that. 'I thought we were better in the second half and Shanley had a couple of chances and worked their goalkeeper a few times, that half was more like what we want to be, playing forward quicker and creating some opportunities. Another factor pointed out by the Stirling boss was the relative disparity of experience and senior appearances between the sides, with that know-how proving crucial on a blustery afternoon. 'We've got a young side out there with teenagers in midfield and at the back, I think their youngest player is about 25 so that bit of experience and that direct style is difficult to stand up to', Maybury continued. 'For the younger ones to step up and cope with that in the second half was a positive, things just haven't gone our way today but there's an opportunity next week that if we can win that game, then we're still in it. 'We've chopped it down from nine points at the start of this quarter to two points, albeit we've lost some ground today but I still think if we can reach that important points total then we have a shot.'