A PROMOTION push and the chance to avoid further play-off heartache is the aim for Paul Watson.

The defender was an unlikely goal hero on Saturday as Spartans fought back from two goals down to salvage a point at Stranraer.

The Edinburgh club are looking to build on last season’s debut campaign, when they finished third in League Two before losing out to Dumbarton in the promotion play-off final.

Watson said: “I think the season is about: ‘Can we better last season?’

“I think there are a lot of people being vocal that Clyde are the favourites and they have had a bit of a go, to be honest.

“We will be happy to go under the radar and keep chipping away to better last season.

“We finished third and, if we just concentrate on bettering that, we will be happy.”

Many tipped Spartans to struggle in League Two after gaining promotion from the Scottish Lowland Football League (SLFL) at the end of the 2022/23 season.

Instead, they defied their critics and finished third just two points off second spot.

However, there would be play-off heartache for the Ainslie Park side and for Watson in his case, not for the first time.

Incredibly, defeat for the Capital club was the sixth time that Watson has lost out in the end-of-season showdown.

He was part of the Falkirk squad that lost to Kilmarnock in 2016 and then Dundee United the following year.

Watson, who grew up in Haddington and now lives in Edinburgh, was part of the Tannadice side that lost to St Mirren in 2019.

READ MORE: Watson setting his sights on promotion with Dunfermline

Then in 2021, Dunfermline lost to Raith Rovers before Falkirk lost out to Airdrie in 2023.

The former Knox Academy pupil said: “Losing in the play-off final was massively disappointing.

“The play-offs, I absolutely hate them.

“I have had zero luck in them throughout the years and some real low points have come from the play-offs.

“It is always much better to avoid them and go straight up.

“Before a ball was kicked, Spartans were favourites to go down last season and to get to the play-off final was a great achievement.

“We were bitterly disappointed not to get it over the line but everybody has learned from that and we take it into this season.”

 

 

The double goalscorer praised manager Dougie Samuel for his cool attitude in the dressing room at half-time as the visitors trailed to strikes from Deryn Lang and Elliot Dunlop.

Watson’s second-half brace also beat his goalscoring tally for the last two seasons combined and was his first double since 2018.

First, he nodded home after Blair Henderson headed back across goal and then his smart finish into the roof of the net after another set play ensured that the game finished level.

The 33-year-old said: “The manager was pretty calm.

“Like everyone, disappointment was the biggest thing.

“He is a very calm person and very good in those situations. He calmed everything down and made a few adjustments to the shape, which worked in our favour in the second half.

“We got a grip of the game and we came away thinking we could have nicked it, but a point is a fair result.”