East of Scotland Premier could have five teams relegated and none promoted – 'it’s mental’

Lothian Thistle defender Sean Guiney says they just have to go and win against Newtongrange Star – then hope Premier League title winners Tranent or Penicuik can do them a favour by preserving their top-flight status.

Three points could take Ryan Harding’s men out of the relegation zone tomorrow, but they’d then have to hope the league victors navigate their way through the play-offs with West of Scotland champions Darvel and South of Scotland top club St Cuthbert Wanderers to gain promotion to the Lowland League, otherwise they will go down.

“We’ve just got to go and win the game and let it take care of itself,” said Guiney. “It’s mental that you could have potentially five teams going down with no clubs getting promoted, only in Scotland could that happen.

“There’s no point talking about goals or that. Nitten will probably feel quite hard done by, they have a decent team, I’ve seen them a few times this year and they probably feel like they shouldn’t be down there, so they won’t just rollover for us.”

Camelon are already down and Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale could join them no the last day of the East of Scotland Premier Division season

Hutchie boosted their chances of avoiding relegation with a 3-0 success away to Hill of Beath last weekend – as 17-year-old Niall Kemp scored two – and the 28-year-old said it’s the best they have played since he moved from Edinburgh United in January.

Guiney continued: “I decided it was time to go because I had been at Edinburgh United for just over four years, I wanted to try and better myself before I get too old.

“I’ve played about 8 games but last week was the best I have seen us; there was something different, it was sort of do or die. Everyone would’ve written us off before we kicked a ball. We did really well, we have a lot of younger boys, so it would’ve been easy to go up there and go and get battered.”

Elsewhere, Dunbar United, currently sat fifth from bottom and a point ahead of Lothian, visit Tynecastle at Meggetland who could still be relegated themselves. A point would be sufficient for Tynie to preserve their Premier League status, while Dunbar know a win would secure their safety.