Tranent toast title triumph but relegation for Dunbar

Jamie Docherty’s penalty alongside Darren McCormack’s header gave the Belters a 2-0 win over Jeanfield Swifts on Saturday.

The victory secured Calum Elliot’s men the East of Scotland Football League (EoSFL) Premier Division title on goal difference ahead of Penicuik Athletic, who defeated Linlithgow Rose.

Tranent now face St Cuthbert Wanderers, winners of the South of Scotland Football League (SoSFL), on Sunday before travelling to West of Scotland Football League (WoSFL) champions Darvel on May 28, while St Cuthberts also face Darvel.

Tranent Juniors (maroon) were celebrating winning the Premier Division and now have a three-way play-off with St Cuthbert Wanderers and Darvel

The side with the best overall record in these matches will be promoted to the Scottish Lowland Football League, the fifth tier of Scottish football.

Tranent boss Elliot was delighted to win the league but stressed: “The message to the boys now is ‘we don’t stop’.

“We have got to keep pushing to bring more days like these here.

“We are into the quarter-finals of the League Cup and we have got the play-offs as well.

“We want to be successful and it is going to be very, very tough but if we play like we did on Saturday then we will be a match for anybody.

“That’s got to be on myself to make sure the boys are ready so there are more days like Saturday.”

Tranent Juniors (maroon) were celebrating winning the Premier Division and now have a three-way play-off with St Cuthbert Wanderers and Darvel

Tranent were in dominant form against Perth-based Swifts and never looked in genuine trouble after the two first half goals.

Elliot has been involved in cup winning sides in the past, lifting the Scottish Challenge Cup with Raith Rovers in 2014.

However, he felt winning the league and securing a place in the three-way play-off surpassed that.

He said: “It is probably the best, if I am being honest. They are such a good group of boys.

Tranent Juniors (maroon) were celebrating winning the Premier Division and now have a three-way play-off with St Cuthbert Wanderers and Darvel

“They are so humble and hard-working and they sacrifice so much for each other. The whole day, the performance more than anything, we were exceptional from start to finish.

“We were as good as we have been and to do that on the day when there was pressure for them to do that, the boys deserve so much credit for that.”

As Tranent were securing a potential promotion to the fifth tier, Dunbar United were making the drop to the seventh tier – EoSFL First Division.

The Seasiders knew a last-day win would be needed to guarantee their safety but were hammered 7-0 by Tynecastle, who dismissed their own relegation fears.

Victory for Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale over Newtongrange Star meant Dunbar finished fourth bottom and were relegated.

Kevin Haynes was left frustrated after Dunbar United were relegated

Kevin Haynes, manager of Dunbar United, felt the defeat “just summed up our whole season”.

He said: “It was very peculiar – the biggest collapse I have ever seen in a team.

“We made so many wrong decisions and that has been the story of our season – making wrong decisions. Let’s not get away from it, we got relegated over 34 games but I can relay back to four or five instances throughout the season where we have made the wrong decision and it has cost us.”

Haynes, who became manager at the start of the campaign, also questioned the commitment of some of his players.

Unavailability has been an issue at times over the course of the season and Haynes revealed it was not all down to injury.

Dunbar United (black and white), pictured against Crossgates Primrose, were relegated after defeat to Tynecastle

He said: “At any level of football, you want players to be committed.

“We have had 20 instances since Christmas where we have missed a player because of another commitment for a game, sometimes more than once for some of the players.

“I have had players who decided to go to social events for a weekend instead of coming to the football – weddings, stag parties – and it is something I feel they should not be doing.”

Already, attention has turned to attempting to bounce back to the top flight of EoSFL.

The club, who will have a new stand at their New Countess Park home next season, have the Scottish Cup to look forward to as well.

Discussions have already taken place with players who had agreed to make the move to Dunbar.

The manager said: “Since Saturday, I have spoken to the club, the chairman and various people at the club and we are all in the same understanding and know what we need to do and want to do. We know where we are and want to be. We are all going to push in the same direction to get promoted again.”