Edinburgh City target winning all eight games as League Two title race nears climax

Graham Taylor has played 38 games for City this season

With just eight league matches remaining to play, the Citizens trail leaders Peterhead by five points with outsiders Clyde a further nine points adrift following last week’s points deduction for fielding an ineligible player.

The three teams have still to play each other before the season is out, something Taylor believes could go a long way to determining who is crowned champions in May.

That said, the 20-year-old doesn’t envisage the Balmoor outfit suffering too many setbacks between now and the end of the campaign.

Ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Galabank to take on hosts and fourth-placed Annan Athletic, Taylor said: “I do think we’re going to have to win every game to win the league so we cannot afford to drop any more points. I can’t see Peterhead dropping too many points between now and the end of the season. You never know what can happen in football. You only have to look what happened to Clyde to know that there are never any guarantees.

“But Peterhead have always been in the top two or three for years so it’s not really a surprise they are up there. I think it might benefit us being in the position we are in because there isn’t that pressure on us  now.”

Victory in the Borders tomorrow, coupled with fifth-placed Elgin City failing to win at Queen’s Park, will confirm a play-off spot at the very least for James McDonaugh’s men. And although the former Dundee United player says it will be good to have that safety net to fall back on, Taylor insists the squad will be doing everything within their power to bring the trophy back to Ainslie Park.

“If we can get the win tomorrow and results elsewhere go our way, it will be nice to have that play-off spot confirmed,” he said. “In saying that, we’re still aiming higher. But there’s at least that comfort blanket of the play-offs if we don’t manage to win the league.

“We know we’re more than capable of going on another run like we did earlier in the season. Having picked up two wins last week,  hopefully that’s us got a bit of momentum back.

“There are eight games to play so we just need to take it a game at a time. We lost to Annan last time out at Ainslie Park so we want to put it right. Annan have been in really good form since Christmas so they are a strong team. We’ve only been beaten twice in the league away from home all season so we’ll be confident going down there.”

Taylor has been suffering from tendonitis in his knee in recent weeks but is confident it won’t limit his time out on the pitch in what is a crucial period for the club. I have had to miss a few training sessions but I’ve managed it well,” he explained. “The club has been really good on that front.

“I was speaking to the gaffer the other day and he thinks I’ve maybe needed a bit of a rest recently having made 38 appearances this year. I’ve never played this amount in the one season before.

“Even when I have been put on the bench the gaffer has always pulled me aside and explained things to me. It’s reassuring to have someone talk to you about it.

“I still need to add more goals to my game but I’m still chipping in with some assists. I’ll be looking to contribute between now and the end of the season.”