FC Edinburgh head into 2023 with promotion very much up for grabs

FC Edinburgh boss Alan Maybury reckons the club is heading into 2023 in a very good place.

A convincing 4-0 victory over League One bottom side Peterhead at Meadowbank sees the Citizens finish the year in second spot, four points adrift off leaders Dunfermline, who have played a game fewer.

John Robertson kept up his hot steak with the opener after just five minutes before strike partner Ryan Shanley doubled the hosts' advantage 12 minutes into the second half.

Callum Crane and on-loan Hibs man Emmanuel Johnson completed the rout with Russell McLean also seeing red for the Blue Toon late on.

Alan Maybury is working wonders at FC Edinburgh

Next up for the Capital side is a trip to Airdrie on January 2, a venue they won 6-0 at in September.

"We were very good and I thought the energy, the work-rate, the speed of play, particularly in the second half, was excellent," Maybury told the Evening News. "We're the top goalscorers in the league and we go out and try and win games. The test now is to try and stay up there for as long as we can.

"There will be no patting ourselves on the back, it's only half-time but we go into 2023 with so much to play for. The players are in a really good place at the moment. We don't play for nine days now so we'll get some rest in the legs. It's a wee bit different for part-time clubs. They'll enjoy their Christmas dinners but we'll train next week, one or two need are still catching up."

Maybury was delighted to see youngster Johnson come on a make an instant impact.

He added: "They've all played their part. It's maybe been a little bit frustrating for EJ with the way the loan agreement is with Hibs. He's away playing Development games so he maybe misses training on a Tuesday with us and then he picked up an injury so it's just little things which maybe doesn't help him get enough game-time here.

"He is more attacking and carries a threat, but to be fair to Ouzy (See) John, Ryan and Danny (Handling), they've scored lots of goals so it's just about finding opportunities to get him on. But EJ was excellent, he scored a goal, his family are over from America so lots of good things."