Dunfermline Press | Sport | We ain't going without a fight

Thursday, 4th December, 2008

Published: Thursday, 17th April, 2008 10:40

We ain't going without a fight

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DERBY DAY: Oakley (white shirts) came off second best in the Friday night showdown with Fife rivals Hill of Beath, losing 4-0 to keep them in relegation bother.

ROSYTH have sent out posters of Steve McQueen urging fans to support the team in their bid to re-enact the Great Escape.

The team face a “must-win” clash against Penicuik on Saturday and they’re hoping the famous war film will help them in the battle against the drop.

The posters want fans to forget about “shopping with the missus”, watching the Pars or the Old Firm and to “come along and see Rosyth escape from relegation”.

New boss Paul Mooney said, “We’re down at the bottom of the table and we’ve only won once in five matches.

“If we win our last six – whether Steve McQueen’s involved or not – it’ll definitely be the Great Escape.”

He continued, “For me it’s a must-win game. If we get the victory it pulls us a bit closer and we’ve a couple of games in hand.

“It’s a huge game for us and the players must perform.”

Rosyth lost 2-1 in the cup on Friday night against Glenrothes – “two set pieces in the last two minutes” – and Mooney denied that it was just the league that matters.

“If we’d beaten Glenrothes it was a quarter final, possibly against a team in our league, so every match is important and the players are more than aware of this,” he said.

“They’re playing for their futures but we’ve a few things to sort out as we’re losing late goals down to lapses in concentration.”

Rosyth are at the foot of the East Premier League and Oakley are also in relegation bother from the East Super League after a 4-0 defeat at Hill of Beath last Friday.

Boss Willie Newbigging said, “Mathematically, yes we can stay up but whether we do is a different question.

“It’s going to be a hard, hard fight but we’ve proven over the years that if any team can avoid the drop, it’s Oakley.

“It can be done and if there’s a fighting chance we can stay up, we’ll be doing everything we can to make it happen.”

United were 3-0 down at half-time against the Haws and Newbigging sighed, “Quite simply, Hill of Beath wanted it more than us and showed a bit more cutting edge.

“They thoroughly deserved it.”

Oakley face managerless Linlithgow at home on Saturday and they haven’t chucked in the towel yet.

The boss said, “It’d be an understatement to say it’s been a disappointing season but if you’d told me at the start we’d be in with a shout of staying up with five games to go we’d have taken it.

“It was always going to be hard this season and it’s not a big surprise where we are.”

Also in the Super League, Kelty Hearts lost out 3-2 to Lochee United and on Tuesday they were beaten 1-0 at Glenrothes. Darren Seath and Russell Smart scored for Hearts.

Last night’s (Wednesday’s) fixtures :– Whyte and Mackay East Central League – Crossgates Primrose v Lochore Welfare, Thornton Hibs v Steelend Vics. Saturday’s fixtures :– Whyte and Mackay East Region Super League – Kelty Hearts v Whitburn, Oakley United v Linlithgow Rose;

Whyte and Mackay East Premier League – Rosyth Recreation v Penicuik Athletic; Maloco and Associates Cup – Scone Thistle v Steelend Vics; Whyte and Mackay East Central League – Ballingry Rovers v Crossgates Primrose.

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