MANAGER Calvin Shand is urging his Musselburgh Athletic side to win the East Premier League after they moved 15 points clear of county rivals Haddington Athletic in second place with a 3-0 win over the Hi HI on Saturday.

Goals from Stephen MacDonald, Jono McManus and Conor Thomson secured all three points as the top two clashed in an East Lothian derby at Olive Bank (see match report left).

Victory gave Shand’s side a healthy advantage at the top of the Premier League table, although Haddington do have a game in hand.

And the Burgh boss (pictured above) was quick to turn his attentions to securing promotion back to the East Superleague at the first time of asking, but also winning the league title.

He told Courier Sport: “We have got to set ourselves realistic targets and I think that now winning the league is realistic.

“We’ve still got to win promotion but Saturday was a big step in the right direction.

“We don’t have to worry about other teams – we’ve just got to keep winning.”

The 34-year-old, who took on the Burgh job – his first as a manager – in the summer of 2016, was also quick to praise his team for a “really good performance” in the derby triumph.

“I think Haddington had scored the most goals in the league going into the weekend’s game, so to keep a clean sheet was really pleasing,” Shand said.

He added: “I thought we controlled the game well, especially when it went to 2-0.”

The Olive Bank club are in West Lothian on Saturday as they visit Blackburn United, and the manager is aware that will be another tough encounter.

He added: “Like every game in this league, it will be difficult.

“It’s on a 3G surface, though, so that suits the way that we want to play.

“The way the boys are playing, the games just can’t come quickly enough at the moment.”