INJURY-TIME EXIT

Shire coach Jim McInally blamed missed chances as the team went out of the ALBA Challenge Cup at Annan Athletic.

Peter Watson's 91st minute header secured the Galabank team's place in the third round of the competition, but Shire should, by that stage, have had the game sewn up.

"We missed our chances to put the game out of their reach in the second half," said Jim. "And the longer the game went on the more we seemed to give away free-kicks in dangerous areas.

"It's disappointing to lose a game we could easily have won, but I  would much rather have the three points we got on Saturday than a win tonight."

The coach is also telling his players to keep their cool. Four more were booked last night, three of them for dissent.

"Some of the ref's decision's were mind-boggling," he said. "But we have told the players they can't afford to get booked for things like dissent. We are operating with a thinner squad this season and that's when suspensions start to bite.

"I know they were frustrated, we all were. But the best thing they can do is keep their mouths shut and get on with it.

"We have had a bit of a kick in the teeth tonight, but we just need to move on from it.

"We missed a few chances that we really should have taken but there's no blame attached to that. Andy Rodgers had to pull out of the game with a stomach bugbut I  believe we have players right through the team who can score goals."

A full match report is now online. Click on fixtures on the main menu and then on the orange scoreline to read it.