VICTORY is needed on Saturday if Dunbar United are to retain hopes of being crowned East of Scotland Football League (EoSFL) First Division champions, believes their manager.

First plays second at New Countess Park this weekend as the table-topping Seasiders welcome second-placed Glenrothes.

Kevin Haynes and his Dunbar team have been top of the table for the majority of the season but Glenrothes would go top with a victory. . . and have a game in hand.

The Dunbar manager said the weekend’s result would have “a huge bearing” on the title’s destination.

He added: “If Glenrothes win, they would be two points ahead and we have two games to play.

“I don’t want to get caught up in winning the league, though.

“There is no financial gain, no benefit, to winning the league, other than being promoted as champions rather than just getting promoted.”

East Lothian Courier: Kevin Haynes and Dunbar United face a massive match with Glenrothes this weekendKevin Haynes and Dunbar United face a massive match with Glenrothes this weekend

The Seasiders suffered relegation on the last day of last season as they dropped from the EoSFL Premier Division following a 7-0 defeat to Tynecastle.

Haynes has repeatedly outlined that his main ambition for this season was simply to get back to the top flight of the EoSFL.

His side boast a 12-point advantage over fourth-placed Newtongrange Star, who have played a game fewer, and are 14 points above Kinnoull, who have two games in hand.

A 1-1 draw with Lochore Welfare on Saturday edged Dunbar closer to promotion but the manager was keen to see his team get over the line as quickly as possible.

He said: “I think we could have made it easier. I think had we won two or three games in the last month, we would have been promoted. There would be no pressure on us to go and win the league.”

The point at Central Park came after Dunbar went behind to an early goal.

A Johnny Edmond equaliser followed and the East Lothian side hit the bar twice and were denied “a stonewall penalty”.

 

 

Haynes added: “We have had a couple of times this season where we don’t convert as many chances as we create. On Saturday in particular, there were more better chances that kind of went begging really.”

The manager was quick to stress the competitive nature of the league.

Newtongrange Star, Whitehill Welfare and Camelon Juniors all came down with Dunbar at the end of last season.

However, only Star are in with a chance of joining Dunbar in an immediate return.

Haynes said: “It is a very even league, a very hard league.

“If you were to strip it right back and look at the four teams that were relegated, we might be the only team going back up.

“It shows how hard a division it is.

“Everybody thought three out of the four teams would come back up.”