St Andrews chasing a seat at the top table

Saints’ first campaign in the division has been up and down, but over the past few weeks the side has been hitting some decent form.

They suffered defeat at the weekend, though, going down 3-1 to a good Linlithgow Rose side.

The result leaves Saints sitting in sixth position, with the top five promoted to a new East of Scotland top division next season.

With one game in hand and just three points behind fifth place Preston Athletic, and having a better goal difference, things are in Saints’s hands.

Vice chairman Blair Smith says United will be going all out to muscle in on that top five and won’t let the weekend’s defeat derail them.

He said: “We were up against it from the start, away to top class opposition and minus three of our key players through suspension.

“At half-time, justifiably 3-0 down, but also having lost our best player, Dylan Honeyman, through injury, it would have been easy for heads to go down - and that’s what would have happened in the recent past.

“However, nowadays Saints come out fighting, and they played a very positive second half, securing just reward in 82 minutes with a fine goal from East Fife U19 trialist, Adam Davidson, and keeping a clean second half sheet.

“This was our last away game of the season, and we have four home games remaining, including one each against first and second placed Broxburn Athletic and Linlithgow Rose respectively.

“We are putting all our efforts into climbing just one more place in the table, to secure a place in the EoSFL top tier next season.”

United are back in action this weekend when they host Broxburn Athletic.

The game will be a tough test for Andy Brown’s side with Broxburn the runaway league leaders.