Survival is the aim for Bathgate Thistle

May 28 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

BATHGATE Thistle have just 90 minutes to save their season and avoid relegation as the Super League prepares for ‘Survival Saturday’.

The reigning Junior Scottish Cup holders are in real danger of the drop after a difficult season but a win over Forfar West End will be enough for the West Lothian club to secure their top-flight status.

Jags boss Paul Jack reckons that his club’s final Super League match is bigger than most cup finals as he leads the fight against relegation with Saturday’s opponents Forfar and Hill of Beath, with Tayport already doomed.

But the situation could have been worse for Bathgate had they not thrown themselves a Super League lifeline with three wins on the bounce which means their fate is in their own hands.

“The last three games have been massive for us and we wouldn’t be in the position we are in now had we not won them,” admitted Jack.

“The players have given themselves a chance and our fate is in our own hands so we know what we have to do but Forfar are in the same position.

“If we win we will stay up and it is as simple as that.”

Forfar West End have relegation fears of their own to contend with so they will come to Creamery Park in need of a win of their own in a winner-takes-all scenario.

Jack continued: “Losing our league status would be a huge blow and the weekend’s game could be viewed as big as a cup final and hopefully we can get the win we need.

“Before the last three wins we have been playing maybe just as well but not getting the breaks. We did well in games against Bonnyrigg and Camelon and created plenty chances but we just couldn’t get the ball in the back of the net. “But to give the players credit they have kept their heads up and got their just rewards.”

It is less than a year since Paul McGrillen stroked the ball home to bring the Junior Scottish Cup to Bathgate for the first time.

And with some of junior football’s top stars calling Creamery Park home the Jags were expected to challenge for the title this season.

But it hasn’t worked out that way with the county club struggling all season but Jack reckons their indifferent form can be put down to a string of bad luck and the shocking West Lothian winter.

He added: “The first problem this season has been a spate of injuries we have suffered and over the course of the season we’ve had to put four players in for surgery.

“Another big factor was not having a game for 13 weeks with the weather we’ve had this year.

“But being brutally honest I don’t think we were working as hard at the start as we are now.

“Looking at last season the top two in the table were Lochee United and Whitburn while we won the Junior Scottish Cup and all three of us have been in danger of relegation this time around.

“No team has a divine right to be at the top of the table and this is a crazy league where anyone can beat anyone and so it has been proved.”

A win for Whitburn on Tuesday night meant the Burnie secured their own Super League safety ahead of the final game.

Title hopefuls Camelon were the midweek visitors to Central Park but instead of a championship party the Ayrshire side ended up at a title wake as the Burnie found their form at the perfect time.

The game didn’t start well for Whitburn who fell behind to a Jordyn Sheerin goal but they were back in the game on the half hour mark when Colin Leiper headed home.

And then just two minutes later they had their noses in front when Colin Strickland steered home from close range.

Kevin Donnelly added the killer third goal after the break to seal the win which ensured Central Park will be hosting Super League football next season.

But Whitburn boss Derek Strickland admits they have made it hard for themselves this season.

Strickland revealed: “We didn’t want to have to go into the final game needing a win and it was good to get the win.

“We should have got it earlier though as we knew we only needed one win from our final four games but we lost to Bathgate, then in the final minute last Saturday, to make it tough.

“It has been a strange season and I think the massive turnaround of players didn’t help us.

“We brought in something like nine players who all needed time to settle into the club and the team.

“I also don’t think we had the rub of the green as we have been playing really well in some games but coming away with nothing.

“It has been a very competitive league this year and no-one has really been able to accumulate a number of points.

“We have only lost the same amount of games as the side at the top of the table although we have drawn too many.

“Last year we didn’t draw a single game but this time we have seven.

“The league is so up and down and we were on the bottom of the league at Tuesday tea time.

“But we beat Camelon and if we can beat Glenrothes on Saturday then we can jump up to fourth place in the table.”

Elsewhere in the juniors this weekend, Linlithgow Rose have silverware in their sights as they square off against Thornton Hibs in the Fife and Lothian’s Cup Final on Friday night.

The match is being played at the home of Hill of Beath and with talisman Brian Carrigan back in Rose colours they should have too much firepower.

In the Premier League Fauldhouse host Blairgowrie in a match the Hoose are favourites to win and they should be able to see them off.

And finally there are two matches in the South Division where Stoneyburn entertain Tranent while Livingston have Dunbar as their visitors.