Albion Rovers 0 Queen of the South 3: We can rise again, insists man on a mission

Monday 14 January 2013

IF there was any doubt as to the biblical task Albion Rovers face to resurrect their second division hopes, it was rather fitting that it was Marvin Andrews who put it all into perspective.

Marvin Andrews made an impressive debut for Albion Rovers

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Scott Mullen

The towering defender emerged boisterously from the home dressing room within the bowls of Cliftonhill with a smile on his face, a song in his heart, and a bedraggled group of team-mates behind him that he hoped were now singing from the Kirkcaldy pastor's hymn sheet.

Saturday's comprehensive 3-0 defeat by the runaway league leaders may have been their sixth loss in their last seven matches, leaving them firmly anchored at the foot of the table five points adrift of fellow strugglers Stranraer, but all is not lost. Well, at least according to Andrews. The Trinidad and Tobago defender, who once graced the crisp lawn of the San Siro in a Champions League tie for Rangers against Inter Milan, enjoyed his first home bow of his sojourn in deepest and darkest Lanarkshire despite the end result. For Andrews is a man on a mission – from God, to be precise – to change the fortunes of Rovers, and deliver them from being relegation certainties."This isn't a challenge for me, it's a challenge for God. I think he loves this. I can't turn this around, it's only him that can do it for this club," said the 37-year-old man of the match, who won his side a first-half penalty at 0-0 only for Tony Stevenson to fluff his lines. "I was praying on Hogmanay and said to God 'If it is your will for me to get back into football then open the door', and on January 2, Todd [Lumsden, Rovers manager] texted me and asked me what I was doing. I grabbed the opportunity."I think the problem is that the boys are just a bit low. The main reason God brought me to this club is to install a confidence in this team and to let them keep believing in themselves."While Rovers look for divine intervention, Queen of the South are well aware that they are fit for a higher purpose. This victory, thanks to goals from Nicky Clark, Derek Lyle – from a spot-kick rebound after Ryan McGuffie also fluffed his lines – and then Derek Young, sent the Dumfries side 17 points clear at the top of the division. Allan Johnston's men were far from clinical on this showing, Dan Carmichael just one who spurned a number of glaring chances, but showed enough wherewithal to brush aside their hosts who crumbled after Stevenson's miss from the spot on 36 minutes.The main challenge for the Palmerston manager now will surely not be just to secure the league, but to retain the men who deliver it come the end of the campaign."It was a horrible game," admitted Young, whose goal celebration almost caused him to somersault his way to Monklands Hospital. "I don't think we've started games well recently, but we've got enough quality in the team to hopefully get through until the end of the season."

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Albion Rovers 0 Queen of the South 3: We can rise again, insists man on a mission

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