Stirling Albion manager Stuart McLaren believes his side will start to climb the table after the first quarter of the season came to an end.

The Binos are second-bottom of League Two, but with just 11 points separating the top of the table from the bottom, McLaren is confident that his side can rise up the table.

The Forthbank boss says his players' character will see them challenging at the right end of the division come the end of the season.

McLaren told Stirling News Sport: “The first quarter is done and although we haven't got as many points as we would have hoped for, we are still well in touch. We know that teams take points off each other every week in this league and we are going to work as hard as we possibly can to make sure it's us that puts together a run of victories first. With the character that the lads have shown in a number of different games, the quality that we have got in there and a few decisions maybe going our way at times, I'm confident that we can start to climb the table and get up to the right end of the table.”

The 40-year-old believes the international break will help the Binos to prepare for the rest of the season.

He said: “It's good to have a short break. We have played games against teams who are up near the top end of the table and we don't feel we have anything to fear from anyone in the division. We are really looking forward now to the next stage of the season.”

Albion return to action on Saturday when they make the short trip to Broadwood to face Clyde, and McLaren insists his side have nothing fear from Barry Ferguson's men.

He added: “With the greatest respect to Clyde I don't think we have any reason to be scared. In the first game of the season we were denied a stonewall penalty when the boy almost caught the ball, and then we gave away a penalty which was the difference in the game. There is certainly nothing to fear from them, and although they are capable of taking points off anybody in the league, I am as happy to go toe-to-toe with them as I am with any other team.”