MORE ANNAN WOE

Shire's poor run of results at Annan Athletic's Galabank ground continued with a 1-0 defeat on their latest visit.

Graham Bell's 49th minute goal condemned Shire to their fourth defeat in five visits there since Annan Athletic became members of the Scottish Football League.

The team was handicapped by the loss of several key players before kick-off and their chances were further reduced by David Dunn's 36th minute red card for a tackle on Bell.

"I thought we started well and were on top and then we went down to ten men," said coach Jim McInally. "We told the players after the sending-off not to give away any silly free-kicks or corners because I  thought that was the only danger they posed to us.

"But that is exactly what they did and Annan scored from a corner early in the second half."

The defeat means Shire have failed to gain any ground on leaders Livingston, but Jim is far from downhearted.

"I  was proud of the players efforts," he said. "It is difficult playing for so long with ten men for so long and I  thought we did really well.

"We came back at them towards the end and at least they gave it everything. Sometimes that is all you can ask of them. I  really didn't think we deserved to lose."

Shire now will attempt to get points on the board on Tuesday when they take on Queen's Park at Ochilview. Despite missing another opportunity to catch up with the leaders, the coach is not giving up the chase.

"We will never give up until it becaomes impossible," he said. If we win our game in hand the gap will be four points and we still have Livingston to play twice. We will keep trying to win it."