MATCH PREVIEW – ALBION ROVERS (A)

After last Saturday’s SPFL Trust Trophy exit to Alloa Athletic, we resume our Cinch League Two campaign when we meet Albion Rovers at The Reigart Stadium with a 3pm kick off.

Whilst we were going down the Wasps Rovers had an emphatic 6-0 win over St Mirren B with Kyle Docherty bagging four goals against his old side alongside Kieran Dolan after Aidan Clocherty had set the tone for the afternoon by putting through his own goal after just three minutes.

Brian Reid made nine new signings for the Coatbridge side during the summer with five of them arriving from Stirling Albion. Former Cowden striker Declan Byrne returned after a season with the Binos along with another former Cowden man Aldin El-Zubadi and David Wilson, Scott Roberts and Cammy Binnie.
Jamie McGowan made a loan move from Troon a permanent one while Luta Sandberg arrived from Ayr United along with Charlie Reilly (Partick Thistle) and Max Wright (Annan Athletic). Also signing for the reserve side was Reiss Kassule son of Rovers legend Vic who was a prolific player for them in the 1980s and a lower league legend.

Players leaving were Matty Aitken (Forfar Athletic), David Cox (Brechin City), Lewis Baker (Berwick Rangers), Chris Henry (Caledonian Braves), Sam Jamieson (Troon), Ryan Stevenson (Troon), Paul Cairney, Mark Dornan and Kieran Dolan. Returning to their parent clubs after loan spells were Harry Stone (Hearts), Finn Ecrepont (Ayr United), Lewis Kidd (East Kilbride), Paul Gallacher (Pollok) and Mark Sideserf (Pollock).

The Premier Sports Cup campaign saw Rovers third in Group E behind Ayr and Hamilton. Their five points came from winning penalty shoot outs in two of their three drawn games against Ayr (0-0), Edinburgh City (1-1) while they lost to Hamilton in a shoot out after a 2-2 draw. The only defeat came in a 5-1 loss at Falkirk.

The League Two campaign opened with a 2-0 home win over Edinburgh City Byrne and Docherty getting the goals. The good start then continued with a 2-2 home draw with Stenhousemuir Wilson scoring in the last minute to ensure a point. Scott Roberts had opened the scoring for Rovers with Thomas Orr and Robert Thomson replying for the Warriors.

Since then they have suffered three defeats 0-3 at Elgin, 0-1 at home to the inform Annan and 1-2 at Stirling with Reilly getting the Rovers goal.


MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE – Mike Roncone

Mike takes charge of his second Cowden game of the season having been man in the middle at our 1-1 draw at Stenhousemuir. Last Saturday he was in charge of Morton’s SPFL Trust Trophy win over Celtic B at the Penny Cars Stadium.

ASSISTANT REFEREES – Graham Chambers and Jonathan Gall


ADMISSION

Adults - £13 | Concessions - £7 | Under 12s - £2


LIVE STREAM

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Previewer: Andrew Mullen.