Rovers manager: Players need to show more belief

Aug 6 2008 by Colin Paterson, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

PAUL MARTIN this week reflected on Albion Rovers’ opening league defeat and admitted: “We let ourselves down.”

The 43-year-old gaffer was left crushed by the Coatbridge outfit’s poor performance in the 3-1 home defeat to Forfar Athletic.

Now he has challenged his team to show their Challenge Cup win at Stenhousemuir at the end of last month wasn’t the exception to the rule.

Rovers travel to Stenny’s Ochilview ground again on Saturday - this time to face ground-sharing East Stirling.

Martin said: “It was certainly a disappointing start to our league campaign.

“We let ourselves down and really under-performed on the day. We know we are capable of so much more.

“Our performance against Stenhousemuir suggested we have a bit of hope for this season but our performance against Forfar was crushing.

“We seemed to lose the faith in our ability and failed to back up and be there for each other.

“That said, we kept ourselves in the game until the last 20 minutes when we lost a poor third goal.”

He continued: “We now need to prove that the Stenhousemuir performance was the rule and not the exception to the rule.

“There is a lot of work needing to be done. I actually felt we had a stable base but Saturday would suggest that it is not stable all the time.

“We just didn’t show the belief, which is something I said a few times last year. We have been here before and I need to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

“We maybe need to work a little bit harder on shape and organisation as we looked really unsteady.”

Shire boss Jim McInally has enjoyed a busy summer and snapped up some proven stars as he targets a move away from the bottom of the Third Division table.

“East Stirling weren’t the whipping boys last season and they won’t be this year as they have signed experienced players,” added Martin.

“Guys like Colin Cramb and Davie Nicholls have probably played more league games than the whole of my team put together.”

Martin is keen to freshen up his pool and bring new faces to Cliftonhill in time for the trip to Larbert.

He said: “Our record on artificial turf is good and I am looking to add a few players before Saturday.

“I am still trying in the transfer market and I have spoken to half-a-dozen players in the last two days. We need to bolster the squad. If we are going to do well this season then we need consistency.”

Team news: Defender Alan Benton could be missing through injury. He was a big doubt ahead of last night’s League Cup clash with Raith Rovers.

Callan Adams is definitely out for the next month but Alan Reid and Willie Martin are free from suspension. Boss Martin will return to the dug-out following a two-match ban.