'We made enough chances to win three or four games' - Berwick Rangers boss Stuart Malcolm frustrated as wonder goals see team defeated at Dalbeattie Star

The Wee Rangers went behind after just five minutes when Liam Craig netted at the back post after John Cumming’s cross from the right, before McCready made a marvellous stop from Liam Buchanan’s powerful header, one of many great saves he made on the day.

Berwick then went 2-0 down on 31 minutes via Steven Logan’s 30-yard stunner after a free-kick from the left had been headed clear.

Although Buchanan shot home within 10 minutes to pull a goal back, Dalbeattie sealed it in second half stoppage time when Scott Ballantyne shot over away keeper Calu Antell and into the net from just inside the Berwick half.

“We made enough chances to win three or four games,” frustrated Berwick boss Stuart Malcolm told the Berwickshire News. “At both ends of the pitch just now we’re a wee bit sticky.

"We’re making an unbelievable amount of chances but failing to capitalise on those chances and gifting soft goals.

"The first goal we lost was disappointing, albeit the second and third goals are wonder strikes.

"For the second one, the boy could hit that 100 times and doesn’t hit the target once. And at the third one we’re chasing the game, gung-ho trying to get a goal.

"If we hadn’t conceded the first goal the way we did and it had been 1-1 when we scored, I think we go on and win the game.

"We gave ourselves an uphill battle giving them the first goal so early, giving them something to hold onto.

"That has been a trait of us this season. Because of our injury situation, defensively we are asking people to play in positions that are not natural to them and they’re doing their very best but we still should be defending the first goal better than we do.”

The loss leaves Berwick 11th in the league table with 17 points from 12 games ahead of this Saturday’s trip to The Spartans for a third round South Challenge Cup tie which kicks off at 3pm. Malcolm isn’t looking to make many changes.

He said: “We will probably look to put out as strong a team as we can .

"We need to be continuing to do the same things in games in terms of the attacking stuff.

"We will probably change it up in training a wee bit, concentrating on attacking but accompanying that with defensive work as well that we’re kind of falling short on.

"We are looking forward to the game. We will treat it like any other and we’ll put a strong team out on the pitch.”