CALUM Elliot believes Tranent Juniors can cause an upset on Saturday to seal their place in the Scottish Lowland Football League next season.
The Belters got their three-way play-off with St Cuthbert Wanderers and Darvel for a spot in the fifth tier off to the perfect start on Sunday afternoon with a 7-0 thumping of the South of Scotland Football League (SoSFL) champions.
Darvel travelled to Kirkcudbright yesterday evening (Wednesday) to face the Saints themselves, winning 3-1, before Tranent and Darvel then do battle in East Ayrshire.
The manager, who was planning to head to St Mary’s Park for the vital midweek clash, stressed that everyone knew what was at stake this weekend.
He said: “That is why you play football – to play in these games.
“We have now been back a year, it has been a long season and it comes down to this game.
“We have earned the right to go and play in it.
“It is a game we need to thrive on and to rise to the occasion.
“Big players produce big performances in these games.
“We have got to make sure our players do that on Saturday coming.”
A Wayne McIntosh hat-trick, along with a brace from Martin Maughan and strikes from Ben Miller and Jamie Docherty, helped Tranent to a comfortable win over their Dumfries and Galloway rivals.
It was one-way traffic for much of the contest, with Kelby Mason a spectator in the home goal.
Elliot said: “I think St Cuthbert’s are a better side than they showed on the day.
“The information we got and watching them, they are a better side probably than how they played.
“We were really good and we have done that to other teams this season as well.
“Credit to the boys for stepping up in a pressure game and delivering that performance.”
However, West of Scotland Football League (WoSFL) winners Darvel will represent a huge step-up in quality on Saturday afternoon.
More than a dozen members of the Recreation Park squad have Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) experience, including Ross Caldwell, who scored in an Edinburgh derby; Darryll Meggatt, who played for Dundee; and Ian McShane, who enjoyed a spell at Ross County.
Tranent and Darvel faced each other in pre-season but Elliot described that match as “completely insignificant” as both squads have changed considerably since then.
If Saturday’s fixture ends in a draw, a penalty shootout will take place to decide which team will be promoted to the Lowland League.
The former Hearts striker made the Ayrshire side favourites but stressed that the Belters were going there with belief.
He said: “The players have known what has been at stake for a number of weeks.
“We have played through pressure for the last six weeks; it is not new to them.
“It has not come out of the blue and we did not win the league early; we did it on the last day of the season.
“We got the ball rolling with the first game of the play-off.
“They have to relish Saturday.
“It is going to be tough because Darvel are a top side.
“Anybody looking will class them as favourites to go through but, for us, I always say on our day when we do both sides of the game well we can give anybody a game.”
Kick-off at Recreation Park is at 2pm.
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