Win and go up

WIN and you’re promoted. That’s the message Kilsyth Rangers’ assistant manager Martin Mooney will deliver to his players before Saturday’s crunch tie with St. Anthony’s.

The Duncansfield side will be looking to book their place in the Super League First Division after missing a golden opportunity to do so against bottom placed Blantyre Victoria on Monday night.

A 3-1 victory over Neilston at home on Saturday meant Rangers hosted the lowly Vics knowing a win would mean promotion was all but mathematically guaranteed.

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Of the frustrating two-all draw that followed, Mooney said: “It was a diappointment. We started really well the first 20 minutes and it was looking like it could be five or six.

“We went two up but they pulled one back before half-time. They went in with a wee lift and then, in the second half, we just never played at all.

“We hung on and our goalkeeper pulled off a great save with not long left and I was starting to think we were going to get away with it.

“But they equalised with about three or four minutes to go - on the balance it was probably fair.”

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Meanwhile, Cumbernauld United’s bid to escape the relagation zone of the Super League First was dealt a blow on Saturday thanks to a debatable refereeing decision.

The Guy’s Meadow side traipsed out of Blair Park with only a point as fellow strugglers Hurlford United equalised from the penalty spot with minutes remaining.

Manager Ian Currie said: “We dominated the game for the entire 90 minutes and then the referee gave a real soft penalty in the 87th minute. Their guy ran into our right-back and just went over - they see professionals doing this on the TV and practice it themselves, it’s just plain cheating.

“But we have to learn to take more chances. We’re a better footballing side than anybody in this league. Being able to finish teams off is the difference.”

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The circumstances surrounding Rangers’ trip to McKenna Park to face St Anthony’s are in stark contrast to what they were when the game was originally scheduled on March 12.

Back then, the Ants were leading the table having won seven of their previous eight games. Now, they’ve all but fallen out of the race to even achieve promotion having lost five of the eight games since.

Mooney added: “Saturday is huge for us, we know if we win we’re promoted and then from there we can see what happens with the title.

“The players don’t need motivated, they know this is what they’ve worked for all season - coming in through the miserable weather and training and playing. It’s now the time to get the reward for that.”

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Meanwhile, Currie has left his players in no doubt about what they need to do ahead of their tie with Girvan.

He added: “I told them before Saturday they needed to win four out of six. Now they need to win four out of five

“Right now we’re in a dogfight and need to be more determined than ever to get results. That has to start against Girvan.”