Stirling Albion boss Darren Young has told his players they must be more ruthless in the final third if they are to give themselves any chance of reaching the play-offs.
Albion are currently seventh, nine points off the pace of the promotion play-offs and just two ahead of second-bottom Elgin, who they face up in Moray on Saturday.
However, the former Aberdeen and Dunfermline midfielder insists he and his squad will continue to look up rather than what is lurking over their shoulder.
Young and his players are champing at the bit for Saturday’s trip to Elgin having been left idle last weekend with the visit of Albion Rovers to Forthbank falling foul of the weather.
He said: “It was frustrating that the game was off because it has been very stop-start recently.
“We did manage to get some training done so that was something but we obviously wanted to play.
“Listen, we are getting plenty chances and more shots on goal than the opposition but we just need to be that bit more ruthless.
“I don’t think there is too much wrong with the way we are playing.
“We still have 12 games to go and the aim is to try and be in the play-offs. I feel that we should have more points on the board than we do so hopefully we can go on a run of results.
“We still have everyone to play at least once, some twice, and there is no reason we can’t be up there challenging again.
“We played well against Forfar last midweek and we are maybe not getting a rub of the green in terms of the decisions in a few games recently – I don’t think it should have been a free-kick that led to their goal, although it was a great strike.
“The equaliser against Forfar showed what we can do – it was great play from Mason Hancock to move the ball from left to right across the pitch then Kieran Moore does really well to get past his man and set up Dale Carrick for a great finish.”
Stirling came out on top 2-0 on their last visit to Elgin in October but have won just once in the league since then – a 2-1 success at Stenhousemuir on January 2.
Gavin Price’s men triumphed 1-0 at Forthbank just before Christmas in what was Young’s first game as manager when Stirling were badly hit by injuries and Covid.
Meanwhile, Young has confirmed that defender Adam Cummins is facing a few more weeks on the sidelines after suffering a calf injury in the 0-0 draw at Annan at the end of January.
Skipper Ross McGeachie, who has also been sidelined of late, could return this weekend, leaving only Cummins and long-term absentee Paul McLean missing.
