Albion Rovers FC vs Brechin City preview - Injury delays Gemmell return

Posted Saturday, August 27, 2011 by PA

Albion striker John Gemmell has served his suspension but will miss the home game with Brechin through injury.

Gemmell has been banned for Albion's league games so far this season and remains sidelined due to a back injury.

Goalkeeper Derek Gaston trained for the first time in three weeks on Thursday and is included in manager Paul Martin's squad, but Allan Dempsie, Michael O'Byrne and Joseph Acquah have all been ruled out with injury.

Martin said: "This is a brilliant game for us as Brechin are the team tipped to win the league and we're the team tipped to be relegated, so there is absolutely no pressure on us at all.

"We go into it playing well, so you never know what can happen."

New loan signings Scott Smith and David Crawford will be included in the squad for Brechin's first league game at Albion since March 2002.

Defender Smith and striker Crawford arrived from Hibernian this week and could start, but forward Jim Lister is not ready to return following his hernia operation and Graeme Weir is struggling with a thigh strain.

Manager Jim Weir said: "We've not got the balance right. As a team we're giving away cheap goals and not converting our chances. We should be sitting on seven if not nine points and we only have four.

"Albion Rovers have made a positive start to life in the Second Division so we need to perform well in this game."