Tayport FC: Player-boss McKenzie encouraged despite defeat to table-toppers

That defeat leaves the Port in eighth spot in the McBookie East Region Midlands League on 41 points from 24 outings, now ten points away from seventh-placed Kirriemuir Thistle.

McKenzie told the Fife Herald: “I felt really positive after the game despite the result, we played really well in the match for long spells and I was happy with the performance overall. It was the best we have played this season against one of the league’s top sides for sure. We were in the game for long spells and in the first half especially.

“Before the break we were the better team and my message at half time was to keep on going but we lost a goal early on in the second half and then around five minutes later we lost another one – the boy scored from 45-yards out and sometimes it just doesn’t go for you. It was a wonder-strike and it probably killed the game at that point.

“Carnoustie were strong and experienced on the day and that won them the game, they didn’t panic in that first period when we were the side on top. We had hit post and missed a couple of brilliant chances and they stayed composed.

“That is the difference for us at the moment and it will take time for us to get to that sort of level, we are still behind them on our journey. That naivety is still there.”

Tayport now travel to tenth-placed Dundee Violet on Saturday as they look to finish ‘best of the rest’ behind the league’s top seven side’s who have broken away at the summit.

“We drew with them earlier in the year,” McKenzie said. “We went 2-0 down within about ten minutes of the game starting so we will be wanting to start better this time around. We know where we are at the moment and we need four or five additions in the summer to push us on to that next level.”

Meanwhile, Newburgh weren’t in action over the weekend in the East of Scotland Second Division. This Saturday, they host Easthouses Lily at home, who are one place above them in the table.