Savour the taste of winning, St Andrews boss Raeside tells players

United finished off their 2021-22 season by defeating Dalkeith Thistle 2-1 at the Clayton Caravan Park Recreation Ground and both teams will face each other again next season in the new-look East of Scotland Second Division.

Raeside was pleased with the win and believed the margin of victory should have been at least a couple of goals greater.

He was also happy that the squad had shown hard graft and showed the ability to become better all-round players.

Lewis Sawers scored both goals and was a constant threat but Raeside said many other players had performed very well.

The midfield trio of Sneddon, Cunningham and Anderson stood out and full back Tom Milne got forward down the left a few times and caused Thistle problems, while Scott Russell linked play for the midfield three.

Raeside said you always wanted more from your players as a manager but he and assistant Steve Fallon had received a very good response from the whole squad since they had come in.

“I thought we started the game very well and created some good chances against a bigger and more physical team than us,” added Raeside.

“When we played our football, the goal gave us a lift.

“We should maybe have been two or three up before Dalkeith scored out of the blue – just a long, diagonal ball and we didn’t react quickly enough.

“They got a goal out of nothing, which knocked the stuffing out of us a bit. We settled the players down at half time and, after 10 minutes in the second half, I thought we dominated.

"We scored another good goal and we should have had another couple. I thought we deserved to win by a couple at least.”

St Andrews are looking forward ambitiously to next term but Raeside stressed: “We’re not flinging stupid money about, without a doubt. We know our limits and we have a budget.”

The club are holding trial sessions on Monday for their new under-20 squad and, in addition to recruiting former East Fife young player of the year Jordan Mackenzie, Raeside has re-signed 22-year-old central defender Scott Reekie, who joined from Edinburgh City last February.

“He knows we are a good place to be and the club are going forward,” said Raeside.

Also arriving, previously with Peterhead and Broughty Athletic, is Derryn Kesson, rated by Raeside as one of the best attacking players in the Dundee Junior League.

“He could have got a better deal in the Dundee league but the fact he is willing to come here shows the ambition of the club and what he wants to achieve,” said the boss. “We aim to try and challenge for promotion next year.”

Pre-season training will begin at the end of June, added Raeside, and details of some friendly games might be known next week.