KEEPER OUT TO IMPRESS

Gavin Sorley's workmates gave him a hard time about how many goals he was going to lose to St. Mirren.

But Shire's debut keeper earned enough plaudits from his baptism of fire on Sunday to encourage the former Harthill Royal keeper in his quest to be the club's number one.

"I  had to listen to people at my work telling me how it would be double figures and we were going to lose 10-0," said Gavin.

And after 17 minutes, with St. Mirren already 3-0 up, he might well have been reminded of those barbed comments, but just like the rest of the team, Gavin's form got better the longer the game went on.

The strikers pulled the game back to 3-3 and Gavin had the chance to make some fine stops. Although St. Mirren ran out 6-3 winners it was not the disaster it threatened to be.

"I  think at the start the defence was trying to protect me a bit," he said."We were a bit shaky at the start but after the first twenty minutes I got into the game a bit more."

But was that nervous start, and the defence's desperate attempts to keep the ball away from him, to blame for the second St. Mirren goal ?

"I  shouted that I  would come and clear it," he said. "But maybe Tully didn't hear me. He came out and put his foot through the ball and sliced it straight to their boy who put it in. It was just a lack of communication."

No goalkeeper is happy to lose six goals in a game and, despite the enthusiastic response to the way the team played, Gavin is no different.

"I  was a bit disappointed in myself," he said."A few of the goals I  could have done a lot better with. But I  suppose I  got the chance to pull off a few saves so there were some positives."

Gavin's career so far has taken him from Scone Thistle to Coupar Angus and on to Harthill. The Shire is, for him, another level.

"I've certainly never faced strikers as good as Billy Mehmet and Michael Higdon. I  just want to push on and establish myself now. This is really a big step up for me, but it was great to play in front of a big crowd.

"I  just hope I've done enough to impress the boss. I  had some good saves but I  know I  need to do better."

Gavin Sorley in action against St. Mirren. Photo : David G. Donnelly