Dunfermline Press | Sport | Oakley United relegated after Tayport defeat

Thursday, 4th December, 2008

Published: Thursday, 1st May, 2008 13:50

Oakley United relegated after Tayport defeat

By Sports editor, Simon Harris

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Pic by: Dunfermline Press

A 1-0 DEFEAT at Tayport confirmed Oakley United’s relegation from the Super League on Saturday.

Afterwards, Oakley’s straight-talking manager, Willie Newbigging, who has been battling all season to get results with an inexperienced and depleted squad, admitted, “It’s been a very trying, testing season for us.

“We brought young lads in at the start of the year and we’ve been very limited with numbers.

“Some of them have proved they can do the job, some of them haven’t and that’s the facts.

“The league position doesn’t lie. We’re down there for a reason and the reason is that as a team we’re not good enough to be in this league.

“If you’re not good enough all you can do is roll your sleeves up and try your best and in certain games we have done that.

"We’ve done it in spells, even in games where we’ve got beat but it’s finding that consistency.

“It’s just one of those things, you’ve got to take it on the chin and you get on with it. We’ll see what happens in the close season and start to re-build.”

United went out fighting against Tayport with Newbigging adding, “I’ve nothing but admiration for the boys who turned up on Saturday.

“We had 10 players, three of which were injured. Skipper John Rushford sat on the bench and had to go on after just 15 minutes and lasted the full game despite having a serious groin strain and back injury and being told by the physio that under no circumstances was he to play.

"Duncan Thompson and Peter Bannantyne were the same and my assistant, Dougie Russell, who is 47, played the full 90 minutes.”

Kelty Hearts smashed 10 goals past Bankfoot on Saturday, going through to the next round of the Maloco + associates Cup with a 10-2 victory.

Russell Smart scored a hat-trick, Iain Mauchlan, John Martin and Darren Seath all scored two and Adam Moffat got one and with results elsewhere confirming Kelty’s place in the Super League for next season, it was a good weekend for Stevie Leighton’s men.

“We got confidence and goals out of it and we were able to give players minutes on the park,” Leighton said.

“To be fair it could have been more but the good thing is we have competition for places and the hunger was good.”

New boss Paul Mooney was delighted with Rosyth’s 3-1 Maloco + associates Cup win at Dundonald, telling Press Sport, “I was looking for a big performance on Saturday and I just wish it had been a league game.”

Craig Morrison, Ross Morrison and Dean Ogg gave Recs a timely confidence booster as they go into their final five league matches battling to beat the drop from the Premier League.

“Every one is a cup final and a must-win game,” said Mooney. “We’ll see what we’re made of as the guys are playing for their futures at Rosyth.

“I’ve got five boys agreed to join us in the summer already and there will be a lot of changes at Rosyth. It’s up to the guys to prove to me they want to be here.”

In the Whyte & Mackay East Central League, Crossgates lost 2-1 at Luncarty while Steelend were beaten 1-0 at home by Scone Thistle.

Saturday fixtures: Whyte & Mackay East Super League – Kelty Hearts v Linlithgow Rose. Whyte & Mackay East Premier League – Rosyth Recreation v Newtongrange Star. Redwood Leisure Cup, second round – Arbroath SC v Oakley United. Whyte & Mackay East Central League – Crossgates Primrose v Thornton Hibs. (Kick-offs 2.30pm).

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