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Daily Record
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Stirling boss finds the positives for group stage finale after Hearts rout
The final game of the group stage in the Premier Sports Cup awaits against Dunfermline Athletic - as the Binos look for some momentum ahead of the League Two curtain-raiser. Stirling Albion boss Alan Maybury admits his side were on the end of a harsh lesson as Hearts swept to victory in front of the TV cameras, but he believes lessons can be taken as the league kick-off looms. The Binos were never in the game against Derek McInnes's slick Jambos, with three first-half goals putting an end to the contest before a second of the game for Craig Halkett sealed a comfortable 4-0 winning margin for Hearts. It leaves Stirling pointless after their opening trio of games in Premier Sports Cup Group E ahead of Saturday's trip to Dunfermline Athletic to round out their group campaign. Dubliner Maybury - who turned out 112 times for the Gorgie club in his playing career - bemoaned his side's lack of positivity in a first half display where they barely moved up the pitch. But he said their second-half improvement gives some hopeful points for the weeks and months ahead. Maybury said: 'You're fearing the worst in the first half when they were playing really well; it was another change in shape which maybe didn't help and opened up some gaps but we quickly went back to what we normally do. 'They got their tails up and you're hoping to catch them on a bad day, but they've got the new manager to impress and we felt their pressure in the first half. 'We tried to be positive in the second half and where we were a little cautious in the first half, we managed to get our shape a little better and frustrate things. 'We're in a game we're not going to win by that stage, but we'll learn more from that second half than we will most games in the season. 'Hearts hemmed us in, but we gave away three goals from set pieces today which are preventable, giving the ball away in the middle of the pitch and that is punished as well so those are things we need to be better at. 'They can say they took the foot off the gas off the second half - and I'd probably agree - but I'm more concerned with my own team having a better mentality and trying to be positive.' Albion once again rotated their side for the contest as the search for valuable minutes in the legs ahead of the season opener at Edinburgh City on August 2 appears on the horizon. The Stirling gaffer hopes playing against a top side which includes several Scotland internationals will offer key points to learn from for some of the Binos' young talents - including midfielder Cooper Knox, who started the match. Maybury added: 'It will be a valuable lesson for the young boys in particular; a top team who don't take too many touches, move it quick and physically stronger, there are so many things to be learned and it's nothing complicated, doing the simple things well every time. 'I recognise my goalkeeper played well and they could have scored more goals, but we let in preventable goals and that's what we want to take out of these games if we're not winning them, playing in the manner we want to and you could see that in the second half.'
Daily Record
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Stirling boss has sunny outlook despite sweltering Hamilton opening defeat
The Binos were edged out by League One Accies in their Premier Sports Cup opener on Saturday - as all eyes turn to their Dumbarton clash. Forthbank was bathed in the summer sunshine for Stirling Albion's competitive opener on Saturday... and boss Alan Maybury insists the outlook for his side is still bright despite defeat. The Binos fell to a 2-0 loss against Hamilton Accies in a tight Premier Sports Cup Group E contest, with Hamilton pulling away in the second half due to an excellent Connor Smith strike followed up by a Russell McLean own goal. Despite the expectations before kick-off - with Hamilton expected to be among the favourites to bounce straight back up to the Championship - Stirling were very much in the game until and even beyond Smith's opener. Maybury bemoaned some key opportunities that went begging for his side in potentially securing a result, but praised his players' commitment in blazing hot conditions. The Irishman said: 'I think there was nothing in the game, to be honest. 'It's really hard against a full-time team, with the sticky pitch and the weather, but we did a lot of good things that we've been working on. 'We had the best chance of the first half with Ross Cunningham and it's a different game if that's goes in and I felt they got their goal out of nothing. 'We had a great chance with [Dale] Carrick as well with the diving header so going forward we created enough in the game, it's just tainted a little for me because I think the goals are preventable on our side. 'If we want to be better than last year, then they are the sort of areas we have to improve on.' The group stage action continued last night, with Stirling making a visit to familiar foes in Dumbarton for a contest that could act as an early litmus test for their ambitions in League Two. The Stirling squad was still stretched slightly for the Hamilton match, with striker Ryan Shanley serving a suspension for a sending-off in the competition for Falkirk last season, while Dale Hilson picked up a knock in a training match. But Maybury admits his squad looks much healthier at this stage than it did 12 months ago - and they will be gunning for full points at the Rock. 'We're setting up to try and win every game in this section; it's really difficult because we're the fifth seed in this group with Dunfermline and Hearts as well as Hamilton who have just come down from the Championship so it's a tough section', the Stirling boss added. 'The plan is for us to give a good account of ourselves, for us to do what we want to do, that was the messaging before today, making sure we use the ball under pressure well, to have the structure we've worked on both with and without the ball. 'We want to go there and win the game. 'We played them in the Stirlingshire Cup, albeit with reduced time, and did well there but they have strengthened and are further along with their pre-season - as are we. 'It will be a good test to see where we're at, working on those structures and organisations which were good today and where I'm hoping for another improvement on Tuesday.'
Daily Record
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Stirling prepare for Accies curtain-raiser as pre-season preparations rounds up
The Binos will once again face Hamilton in the Premier Sports Cup group phase - with hopes high of a quick start to the season after strong early business. The pre-season preparations are finally complete for Stirling Albion as the competitive curtain raiser looms with the visit of Hamilton Accies to Forthbank on Saturday. The Binos completed their warm-up matches with a 4-1 defeat away to Lowland League side Broxburn Athletic last night (Tuesday), but the Stirling selection was made mainly of young players alongside first-teamers looking for fitness ahead of the gruelling kick-off schedule. Instead, Stirling boss Alan Maybury made use of the opportunity for a training session with his revamped squad ahead of the Premier Sports Cup opener against troubled Accies, who are making their preparations for a return to League One in the upcoming season. It will be a return to play against his former side for one of Albion's marquee summer arrivals in forward Ross Cunningham, who arrives after finishing joint top scorer in League One last season with Kelty Hearts. The versatile winger made 33 appearances for Accies during five seasons with the South Lanarkshire club. Former Accies kid Cunningham is part of an impressive-looking forward line for Stirling, which also boasts new another signature in forward Russell McLean. Stirling will be searching for their first win over the South Lanarkshire club in 12 matches - the last win from the Binos dating back to a 2-0 success in the old Second Division on December 27, 1999. The Binos did share the group with Accies last season and ground out a 0-0 draw at New Douglas Park, before claiming a bonus point on penalties. But Stirling really struggled against Hamilton in their time together in the third tier in the 2023/24 season, two home draws matched by a pair of heavy defeats where the Binos conceded eight times with no reply. The pair will join some of the standout names from the Binos strike force last season in Ryan Shanley, Dale Carrick and Dale Hilson. The frenetic pace towards the league opener on August 2 picks up with the now traditional group stage, with Saturday's home opener against Hamilton followed by a trip to Dumbarton on Tuesday as Albion get their first look at League Two opposition. A match at the opposite end of the scale then awaits on the following weekend, as the TV cameras roll into town for the visit of Hearts. It all concludes with an away match at East End Park at Neil Lennon's Dunfermline Athletic as the Binos hope to take a few higher-division scalps and try to progress out of the group, despite their position as the lowest seed.
Daily Record
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Six-goal Stirling run riot in warm-up test as boss prepares for punishing season
The new-look Binos produced a slick second-half display as they ran in six goals against Bo'ness United - with some of the fresh faces getting on the scoresheet. There was fun in the Bo'ness sun for the Stirling Albion fans as they watched their side romp to an easy win in their latest pre-season test. But boss Alan Maybury says it's all hard work for his players ahead of a season which could bring an extra punishing workload. The Binos headed to Newtown Park to take on Bo'ness United from the Lowland League and after a sticky start where both sides traded goals inside the opening 11 minutes, Albion streaked away to a comfortable 6-1 win. The weekend fixture was part of a pre-season schedule which will continue with matches against Glenrothes and Broxburn in the next week, all as part of plans to be firing for the League Cup group phase and the start of the League Two season on August 2. Maybury told the club's YouTube channel: 'It was a worthwhile exercise. We probably found it a little difficult early on, they pressed high and we had to find a solution in terms of getting out, but it was important that we went through that and found some solutions. 'We played some better football as the first half went on and scored a couple of good goals; the second half the wind really helped us and the plan was always to go 60/30 with the team. 'It's all building in for the season and we have a couple of friendlies before the League Cup, then four matches there and it's still another week after that so it's a long build up to the league. 'With the new SPFL Trust groups as well, if you get through the first phase, you're talking close to 50 games in a season which is a big ask for part-time players so we're just trying to get everyone in the squad up to speed.' An extensive summer revamp at Forthbank has led to excitement in the Binos support about possibly success in the season ahead, with a potent-looking forward line among the areas offering real hope. New arrivals Russell McLean and Ross Cunningham were among those on the scoresheet on Saturday - the latter with a stunning long-range free kick - and Dale Carrick also continued his strong early form with a goal. Maybury admits the strength in depth in the forward areas could present a headache, but admits he doesn't mind the sleepless nights. 'There is a good competition for places in those forward positions and most of them getting on the scoresheet is a really pleasing thing', the Irishman added. 'The summer so far has been good, I think this time last year we had eight players signed, so first thing we wanted to keep the majority of our squad and then we've gone out to recruit a certain type of player which I think we've managed well. '[Kyle] Banner has now come in and played today, there are still one or two coming back from injury and we have [Ross] Cunningham and Russell [McLean] up there who will make a difference. 'Goalscoring wasn't our problem last year but we did lose some goals out the door, so those players will help with that.'
Daily Record
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Stirling new boy keen to make impression on boss second time around
Russell McLean made his Albion debut in the Stirlingshire Cup win over Dumbarton last weekend - and hopes to make an impression on boss Alan Maybury after a difficult time together in the capital. New Stirling Albion forward Russell McLean is on a mission of redemption with boss Alan Maybury as he aims to make his mark in a potent Binos strike force. The towering forward impressed at Forfar last season - including five goals in matches against Stirling - and has been captured to offer a physical dimension to a front line already boasting quality in Dale Carrick, Ryan Shanley, Dale Hilson and fellow arrival Ross Cunningham. The 27-year-old netted seven times for the Loons in the last campaign and has also had stints at Peterhead and Montrose. But his brief time at Edinburgh City - which was marked by a financial collapse at the club - under the now Stirling boss has left a bitter taste in his mouth and a keenness to prove himself this time around. Speaking after making his Binos debut in the 2-0 pre-season win over Dumbarton, McLean said: 'The gaffer signed me at Edinburgh and what happened there happened. 'It wasn't great at that time just with the way the club was and when he spoke to me after the last game of the season [against Forfar], it was a move I was keen to make happen. 'I like working under the gaffer and I probably let myself down when I was at Edinburgh and didn't do as well as I would have liked to there, but he's known me for years and he has trust in what I can do and I'm looking to prove that here.' He is part of impressive recruitment across the board at Forthbank this season, with the returning Lee Hamilton and Kyle Banner joined by Ross McGeachie signing back on for another campaign in a red shirt as the Stirling squad begins to take shape. The Albion faithful were given a flavour of what to expect in an impressive display from McLean as he linked up well with Carrick through the match against the Sons - with the former Airdrie and Hearts forward netted both Stirling goals. 'The Stirlingshire Cup is quite a good thing, an hour is all you need at this stage of pre-season and we played well and kept the ball, so it's a positive - it's all about the fitness. 'I've never played with Dale but having played against him for years, you get an understanding of where he's going to be so that allows me to maybe let one through or flick it around the corner. 'The connection between the forwards we have is only going to get better with games and I imagine that will all have time to play with each other. 'We have a good, experienced, proven front line and one which can score lots of goals on paper, so let's hope we can do that this season. Stirling are back in action for their next pre-season encounter tomorrow (Saturday) when they make the trip to take on Lowland League side Bo'ness United with a re-arranged kick-off time of 11.30am at Newtown Park.
