Stephen Swift: Ten minute collapse unacceptable

Despite going down to an early goal from Thomas Orr, the visitors won 4-1 to move one place above the Warriors in the table.

M anager Stephen Swift said he was sad to see a recent good run for his side, currently sitting in seventh place in the table, brought to an end but it is now up to them to start another

“We were on a really good run and we rightly had plaudits for the way we were winning matches and playing, but that is clearly over now,” he said. “I like to digest and stay composed after a match, but it was hard to not have a real go at them because it was such a poor afternoon.

“With that type of performance today, we have put ourselves right back into the same dark place we were in before, after the last match against them at Stair Park.”

Scott Robertson, Anton Brady and Ayton Sonkur all scored simple goals in a 10-minute spell in the first half to all but seal victory for Jamie Hamill’s side, and Swift is livid about that collapse.

“The goals were the big thing for me,” he said. “Thomas Orr scores with a great finish early on and you want to take the initiative from that, but the opposite happened, truth be told.

“Conceding the way we did was criminal. Two of the goals were second phase and we paid the price for thinking the job was done the first time.

“I don’t want to go right into what happened individually with players, but all I can say is if you concede three goals in 10 minutes, it tells you everything you need to know.

“That isn't bad play, it is a collapse.”

Tommy Muir put the match to bed moments into the second half from the spot, with poor defending again being punished.

Swift apologised to fans, saying: “I can only say sorry because it wasn’t good enough.

“I was angry because I am thinking about looking at Stranraer on a fixture list and going ‘not them again, they have got one over us’ and that is simply unacceptable.”

The Warriors host fifth-placed Edinburgh City on Saturday as they look to get back to winning ways after three straight defeats.

Swift, looking ahead to that match, said: “They are a team who will have ambitions, like us, to get into the play-offs. There will be changes on Saturday for sure. You can’t perform like that and not make any changes.

“Hopefully the changes will create that hunger again that went missing and the boys who drop out will need to work hard to get back in.”

Winger Euan O’Reilly has signed a new deal with the club after impressing over the past month.

The 21-year-old joined as a summer signing after leaving Airdrieonains and has played in all but one league match so far.

Swift was pleased to extend his deal to 2023, saying: “Over the winning spell we had, he was one of the main reasons for it. He’s been consistent all season and has really worked hard since he joined.

“You know what you will get from him on the pitch. He can be explosive. He is key to how we want to play, so it was something we were keen to do and it makes sense for the club to tie down a young player like him.”