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Daily Record
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Albion Rovers boss compares goal hero to Usain Bolt after comeback win at Gala Fairydean Rovers
Sandy Clark was full of praise for Devan McColl after his contribution in Saturday's success Albion Rovers boss Sandy Clark joked he thought Usain Bolt was involved in Saturday's comeback victory over Gala - after Devan McColl showed blistering pace on his way to bagging the winner. The Coatbridge club fell behind at Cliftonhill to a Lennon Connelly strike inside 18 minutes, but quick-fire goals in the space of two minutes early in the second half turned the game on its head. A Barry Duncan free-kick deflected into the net in 52 minutes to get Rovers on level terms, before McColl broke on the counter attack at speed and unleashed a venomous drive to grab all three points for the hosts. And Clark said McColl reminded him of a certain Olympic champion sprinter. He said: 'It was a great performance from our guys. It took us a bit of time in the first half to get into the game, but that happens to us a lot because we are such a young squad. 'We lost a goal in the first half, but we managed to hang in and had a couple of half decent chances to equalise, just never quite got there. 'In the second half we scored straight from a free-kick from Barry Duncan, which took a bit of a deflection that deceived the goalkeeper. 'After that we got the second goal really quickly. It was a brilliant goal on the counter attack from a corner, thanks to Devan McColl. 'I thought it was Usain Bolt going down the right-hand side when he broke away. 'He really should have squared it into the box from the position he was in, but he elected to shoot and, thankfully, it ended up in the back of the net. 'After that we were comfortable and I feel we should have picked them off for a third goal, but we'll take the win. I was really pleased with the performance.' It was Rovers' second win in four games and saw them bounce back from a tough 4-0 defeat at Tranent the previous week. Clark, whose side are up to seventh in the table, added: 'Tranent are a really good team and we did some good things against them last week. We eliminated a lot of the errors this week and managed to score a couple of goals, that's what football is about. 'There was a brilliant attitude from our young lads and we had great backing from our fans as well, so it was a happy place at full-time.' Rovers now have a double-header coming up over the next week, with a home clash against Thorniewood in the first round of the South Challenge Cup this Saturday, followed by the visit of Broxburn Athletic on league business on Tuesday night.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Albion Rovers boss 'not worried' about Tranent defeat as side have picked up more points than expected
Albion Rovers boss Sandy Clark says he won't worry too much about Saturday's 4-0 defeat to Tranent after starting the season with more points than he bargained for. Cash-strapped Rovers have had to make big changes to their squad over the summer, but they have accrued four points from their first three games with a 3-3 draw against Cumbernauld Colts last weekend and a 2-1 win at East Stirling last midweek preceding Saturday's defeat. The Coatbridge side conceded two goals in quick succession in the first half, with Harry Girdwood and Cameron McKinley on target. After the break McKinley added his second of the day just a minute in, while a Dean Brett penalty completed the scoring. Clark said: 'It is a disappointing result, but if you had said to me last week, with the circumstances that the club finds itself in, that we would have four points after the first week of games, I'd definitely have taken that. 'So it is not the end of the world, by any manner of means. 'Tranent were by far the better team on Saturday and I think they are going to be up there challenging at the top of the league this season with the players they have. 'The funny thing is we actually competed well against them, but we just made terrible mistakes for all four of their goals. They were all preventable. 'I can't ask for any more effort from the boys. They were just too good for us on the day.' Rovers now host Gala Fairydean this Saturday and on the midweek win over Shire, Clark added: 'East Stirling was a game against a side similar to where we are at right now and I thought we did well. We lost a poor goal in that game as well and that is the current theme at the moment we need to try and stop. 'We deserved the three points there last week and it is about how we bounce back from Saturday for the Gala game.' Clark doesn't expect any new additions ahead of the weekend, saying: 'We've got a squad now where there is not a lot of scope for bringing more players in. The loan market is there but if players aren't going to improve the team, we won't bring players in just for numbers. 'The co-operation agreement with Kilmarnock keeps the door open continually, if they are ever looking to put someone out that we think is good enough. 'I don't think anything else is likely to happen quickly there so we should have the same squad for this weekend as we did on Saturday there. 'There has been good bits in all our performances, so we need to take the positives and try to be better defensively to stop giving away cheap goals." READ MORE: Albion Rovers 3 Cumbernauld Colts 3: Clark tells Rovers to show no fear this season after battling derby draw READ MORE: Gartcairn co-boss fumes over ref decisions in Whitletts Vics draw READ MORE: East Kilbride lacked intensity in Spartans defeat, says boss as League Two debut ends in humbling defeat
Daily Record
07-08-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Albion Rovers boss 'not worried' about Tranent defeat as side have picked up more points than expected
Sandy Clark has been relatively pleased with the Cliftonhill side's showing early on in the Lowland League Albion Rovers boss Sandy Clark says he won't worry too much about Saturday's 4-0 defeat to Tranent after starting the season with more points than he bargained for. Cash-strapped Rovers have had to make big changes to their squad over the summer, but they have accrued four points from their first three games with a 3-3 draw against Cumbernauld Colts last weekend and a 2-1 win at East Stirling last midweek preceding Saturday's defeat. The Coatbridge side conceded two goals in quick succession in the first half, with Harry Girdwood and Cameron McKinley on target. After the break McKinley added his second of the day just a minute in, while a Dean Brett penalty completed the scoring. Clark said: 'It is a disappointing result, but if you had said to me last week, with the circumstances that the club finds itself in, that we would have four points after the first week of games, I'd definitely have taken that. 'So it is not the end of the world, by any manner of means. 'Tranent were by far the better team on Saturday and I think they are going to be up there challenging at the top of the league this season with the players they have. 'The funny thing is we actually competed well against them, but we just made terrible mistakes for all four of their goals. They were all preventable. 'I can't ask for any more effort from the boys. They were just too good for us on the day.' Rovers now host Gala Fairydean this Saturday and on the midweek win over Shire, Clark added: 'East Stirling was a game against a side similar to where we are at right now and I thought we did well. We lost a poor goal in that game as well and that is the current theme at the moment we need to try and stop. 'We deserved the three points there last week and it is about how we bounce back from Saturday for the Gala game.' Clark doesn't expect any new additions ahead of the weekend, saying: 'We've got a squad now where there is not a lot of scope for bringing more players in. The loan market is there but if players aren't going to improve the team, we won't bring players in just for numbers. 'The co-operation agreement with Kilmarnock keeps the door open continually, if they are ever looking to put someone out that we think is good enough. 'I don't think anything else is likely to happen quickly there so we should have the same squad for this weekend as we did on Saturday there. 'There has been good bits in all our performances, so we need to take the positives and try to be better defensively to stop giving away cheap goals."
Daily Record
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
'Proud day': Renfrewshire councillors pay tribute to Johnstone Burgh after Scottish Junior Cup win
The club has been formally congratulated following the penalty shoot-out victory over Lowland League side Tranent. Renfrewshire councillors have paid tribute to Johnstone Burgh after they lifted the Scottish Junior Cup for the first time in 57 years. The club has been formally congratulated for its achievement following a penalty shoot-out victory over Lowland League side Tranent on Sunday, June 1. Striker Kyle Lafferty converted the decisive spot-kick to ensure a 4-2 win – sparking euphoria among the players and supporters – after a 1-1 draw in normal time at Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire. It meant captain Derek Esplin became the first Burgh skipper to hoist the trophy aloft since 1968 when George Caughey did just that. Recounting his experience of the day at Thursday's full meeting of Renfrewshire Council, Councillor Iain McMillan, a Labour representative for Johnstone South and Elderslie, declared it would "live long" in his memory. He added: "For those of us who were at the game, it was absolutely fantastic and I was very fortunate – I was there with my dad, I was there with my daughter and I was there with my granddaughter, so there were four generations of the family. "Being a supporter of a rather large football club, the difference you get when you go and see a smaller community club like Johnstone Burgh is like chalk and cheese because you virtually know everybody in the crowd. It's that community feeling." Ciaran Diver grabbed a second-half equaliser to take the final to penalties after opponents Tranent had taken a first-half lead through Harry Girdwood. Murdo MacKinnon's Burgh then held their nerve during the shoot-out, netting all of their penalties to send their fans and coaching staff into a state of jubilation. The West of Scotland League Premier Division outfit's pitch perfect cast of takers included Fraser Mullen, Diver, Ross Davidson and Lafferty. Later that evening, hundreds of punters draped in red and white descended on Johnstone's Houstoun Square for Burgh's eagerly anticipated homecoming. Councillor Andy Steel, an SNP representative for Johnstone South and Elderslie, said at the meeting: "Similar to Councillor McMillan, I was there with my boy and, despite very kind invitations elsewhere, I really wanted to be there with my son to create a memory that hopefully lasts a few years for me and a lifetime for him because that's what it's all about really. "We go to the Burgh on a Saturday afternoon and I like going to watch the Burgh because I get to spend two hours with my son, which I don't very often, so it meant an awful lot." Provost Lorraine Cameron added: "It was a very proud day indeed for everyone in Johnstone. "It just gave the community a whole buzz and you'll be pleased to know I'm in the process of organising an appropriate civic hospitality reception for the players and guests." Two motions congratulating Burgh were unanimously agreed among elected members.
Daily Record
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Renfrewshire Council set to formally congratulate Johnstone Burgh on Scottish Junior Cup win
Two motions have been put forward to pay tribute to the club following the penalty shoot-out victory over Tranent. Renfrewshire Council looks set to formally congratulate Johnstone Burgh after they lifted the Scottish Junior Cup for the first time in 57 years. Two motions have been put forward to pay tribute to the club and its achievement following the dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Lowland League side Tranent on Sunday, June 1. Former Rangers man Kyle Lafferty buried the decisive spot-kick to ensure a 4-2 win – which led to emotional scenes among the players and supporters – after a 1-1 draw in normal time at Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire. It meant captain Derek Esplin became the first Burgh skipper to lift the trophy since 1968 when George Caughey also achieved the feat. The first motion to be considered at the full council meeting on Thursday has been lodged by Councillor Iain McMillan, a Labour representative for Johnstone South and Elderslie, and Councillor Chris Gilmour, a Labour representative for Johnstone North and the surrounding villages. It reads: "Council wishes to congratulate Johnstone Burgh on winning the Scottish Junior Cup against Tranent for season 2024/2025. "Council recognises the hard work done by the committee, coaching staff and players in achieving this success. The council further wishes the club well for the future." Ciaran Diver had grabbed a second-half equaliser to take the final to penalties after opponents Tranent had taken a first-half lead through Harry Girdwood. Murdo MacKinnon's Burgh held their nerve during the shoot-out and netted all of their penalties to come out on top and send their supporters and coaching staff into a state of euphoria. The West of Scotland League Premier Division outfit's pitch perfect cast of takers included Fraser Mullen, Diver, Ross Davidson and Lafferty to spark the jubilant scenes. Later that evening, hundreds of punters draped in red and white descended on Johnstone's Houstoun Square for Burgh's homecoming. A second motion to be considered at the council summit later this week has been submitted by Councillor Andy Steel and Councillor Jacqueline Cameron, who are both SNP representatives for Johnstone South and Elderslie. It reads: "Council congratulates Johnstone Burgh on their achievement of winning the Scottish Junior Cup for the first time since 1968. "Council applauds the work done by players, staff and volunteers who make the Burgh a central part of Johnstone."
