Shire need to learn from defeats to Rangers B and Berwick says boss Ure

Derek Ure’s side couldn’t turn an improved second half performance against Rangers B in to anything as the colts side won 1-0 at the Falkirk Stadium on Saturday.

Shire had the chance to bounce back on Tuesday night as they travelled to Shielfield Park to take on Berwick Rangers.

The home side took a first half lead but Tyler Fulton headed in an equaliser for Shire after the visitors upped their game and worked hard to find a way back.

All that hard work was quickly undone though as Berwick restored their lead and saw the match out to a 2-1 win to cap off a hugely frustrating week for manager Derek Ure.

"I think we deserved more out of both games,” said Ure.

"In the Rangers game we maybe lacked belief in the first half but we caused problems in the second and deserved a point.

"The game against Berwick was very even although we were hanging on for the last period of the first half.

"We improved in the second half and again probably deserved a point but losing the goal in the manner we did was hard to take."

After facing one of the newly introduced colts sides for the first time Ure says that Rangers brought exactly the sort of quality performance he expected.

"There was never any doubt in regards to what Rangers were going to bring in regards to quality on the ball.

"We always knew it would be a slightly different task to what we're used to.

"We stood off them a bit but that's potentially down to how fit and sharp they were and it's very difficult for our boys against full time players but we gave them a real tough time in the second half and I'm hoping that stands our boys in good stead for the rest of the season.

"There won't be many better teams on the ball than Rangers and Celtic this year and it adds to how unpredictable this league is.”

Ure also feels that Tuesday’s opponents Berwick Rangers are capable of a high league finish this season which makes it all the more frustrating they were unable to take any points from the match after working so hard for their equaliser.

"We had worked hard to make sure we got back in the game and did well, we had all the momentum and I genuinely felt there was only going to be one winner.

"We scored then I'm telling our boys to go and get another goal but make sure to stay tight and from our point of view it was a very disappointing goal but hopefully it's one they learn from.

"I think Berwick weren't far away last year and will do well again this year, they'll be one of the teams that will fancy themselves to have a good season and we more than matched them for the vast majority of that game."

Next up for Shire is a home match against Cumbernauld Colts this weekend.

"We know the Colts have a good squad and it will be a very tough game, I firmly believe we can win but we'll need to be at our best.”