Kirkcaldy & Dysart boss dismayed at extension to lower league suspension

The original four-week call off due to the Covid-19 pandemic was due to end this weekend, but the SFA, in reponse to the First Minister’s tightening on lockdown restrictions, this week extended the period to midnight on Sunday, February 14.

A further update is expected next Wednesday.

Ness says the break came at the worst possible time for his side after they had found some form after a shaky start to the season after making the step up from Junior football.

"We took our time to find our feet in the league,” he says, “we took a few heavy beatings, we didn’t have any points after seven games, then we started to see an improvement in the performances.

"We really started to show that we were capable of competing at this level. I think including friendlies we had gone seven or eight games unbeaten.

"Consistency is a hard thing but we were starting to get that. Guys were going into games looking forward to to playing.

"So for us to then be shut down couldn’t have come at a worse time.”

With the suspension due to carry over into its fifth week, Ness says he has been trying to keep his players engaged with football.

“We’re trying hard to keep them ticking over. The guys have been doing individual stuff.

“One of our players is a personal trainer so he’s come up with an at home workout that they’ve been doing as well, but the trouble is in keeping the enthusiasm levels going, which is the same for most teams at this level.

Despite his frustrations, Ness admits that he has to look at the bigger picture.

“This is only football. There are people losing their lives. They’re losing their jobs. There are far more important things than football.

“But in terms of they guys’ mental health, getting them out the door to come here three times a week is a massive thing for them.

"The fact that we can’t do anything is the hard thing. If we had a set date where we knew we were going to get back to training, then we’d at least have an end goal."

He added: “At the moment it’s just open ended so it’s a bit soul destroying. Hopefully soon we’ll get the go ahead.”