CHAMPIONS

The 3-1 home win over Greenock Juniors not only ensured the trophy will take up residence in the Duncansfield cabinet, but also meant that Rangers finished the season with the best record in every department.

Assistant boss Martin Mooney said: “It was just a great feeling to win it. After Thorniewood drew on Friday night, we knew we would win the league unless we got beaten seven-nil. That obviously took the pressure off.

“We spoke to the boys before the game about scoring three goals and then we would have the most in the league. When you look at the table, we’ve won the most games, scored the most goals, conceeded the fewest and obviously got the most points.

“It just really shows you how hard the players have worked and that they without a doubt deserved this, they’ve been great.”

Mooney has experienced many a tense final day during his playing career, but is still getting used to it on the other side of the touchline.

He continued: “I’ve played a couple of times in games at the end of the season where you’ve needed to get a result of some sort.

“When the whistle goes, it’s just a massive feeling of relief. This was obviously a bit different, but we wanted to finish with three points and put in a good performance.

“It means we now go into the Evening Times Cup against Irvine Meadow. To be honest, I would rather the season was over now, some of the lads have been in since June 14.

“But it gives us a game against a big club with nothing to lose, no pressure. The boys can just go out and enjoy it.”

Mooney traces the confidence which underpins Kilsyth’s resilient form back to an unlikely source.

He added: “I think for me, with hindsight, it was the friendly win against Pollock that really gave the players the confidence.

“It might seem a bit strange being a friendly, but, when we beat them four-nil, I think our players looked around and thought, ‘We’ve got some pretty good players here’.

“We’ve just pushed on from there and gone from strength to strength.”

The players, coaches and committee will attend a special night in the Garrell Vale Centre on Saturday night, where they intend to celebrate their success.

The occasion will have a double purpose however, as a DVD showing Rangers’ first ever Scottish Junior Cup win in 1955 will be officially released.