Berwick manager frustrated by defensive errors in defeat

Berwick boss Kevin Haynes wants his players to stand up and be counted in a tough run in -starting with the visit of Cowdenbeath on Saturday.

The two former SPFL sides are both in the lower reaches of the Lowland League, and Haynes insists that the black and gold must improve defensively if they’re to pull away from the danger zone.

“Every game is a big game now. We can’t identify one game as a big game – we’ve got eight Cup Finals left, and we need to pick up points. That has to happen sooner rather than later or the pressure will be really on,” he said.

“We’ll see what guys are made of if they don’t start to pick up points soon.”

Rangers dropped to third bottom, just four points clear of Gala Fairydean and basement side Broomhill, who have two games in hand, following a 3-2 reverse at the University of Stirling that had Haynes raging in the dug-out.

“The over-riding emotion now is anger,” he said after the defeat, with Euan Walker netting the winner just three minutes from the end.

“We’re conceding too many goals, it’s sloppy, I think certainly two of the three goals are avoidable and, on our part, the first goal’s a bit of a fluke - but we’ve got to take responsibility in the situations that we’re conceding goals in, and we’re not. We’re giving the ball away cheaply.”

Quickfire goals either side of the break from Lian Buchanan and Ben Scarborough had turned things around for the ‘Gers after Sam Martin’s cross-shot put the Uni ahead in the 39th minute.

Finn Moffett drew them level and then missed a penalty before Walker’s late winner.

Calum Antell saved to keep it at 2-2 while Scott Mackenzie had his head in his hands as he dragged a penalty wide himself at the other end with just seconds remaining.

“If you look at the season as a whole, we’ve always conceded goals, so that trend’s not stopping, but if we’re going to be conceding goals like we are, we need to be scoring more. We’re going to have to outscore teams 4-3. That’s just where we are right now,” fumed Haynes.

“I can’t keep emphasising it enough, it’s individual errors that are costing us goals – the guys are all capable enough football players and they need to just take responsibility and be leaders and be determined not to concede goals.”