Hi-Hi flying high as they look to maintain unbeaten run

Haddington Athletic captain Gabri Auriemma says confidence is so high in the Hi-Hi ranks that they are going into every game expecting to take all three points.

Last season’s First Division champions have made a seamless step up to the Premier League under boss Scott Bonar, with their current eight-game unbeaten run catapulting them up to sixth.

The Millfield Park side’s form has certainly turned a few heads, and 24-year-old Auriemma is hopeful they can sustain their run for a little longer.

“At the start of the season it was about finding our feet, but as the season has progressed we’ve got better and better each game; knowing how to handle games better,” said Auriemma. “Last season we scored a lot of goals, but in this league games are tight and there isn’t an easy game, you need to be 100-per-cent every week.

Gabri Auriemma struck twice in Haddington's 5-1 win last weekend. Pic: Garry Menzies

“I think we deserve to be where we are, we have built up a bit of momentum and we are unbeaten in our last eight games. It’s taken us the first half of the season to get to grips with the league, but now we are going into every game thinking we are going to win it. We have a good group of boys who train hard every week and we have a winning mentality.”

The Hi-Hi thumped Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale 5-1 last week with Auriemma grabbing a double, and they are aiming to complete a quick-fire Edinburgh double when they visit Tynecastle on league duty this Saturday.

Auriemma, in his fourth season with the club, added: “Hutchie were on a good run after beating Linlithgow and Jeanfield, so I was expecting a wee bit of a closer game. After their goal in the first minute after we got our first goal we kicked on. It’s the first time in a while we have scored five goals in a game, we have been scoring one or two, so it was pleasing to score so many.”

Elsewhere, East Lothian neighbours Musselburgh Athletic are looking to remain on the coattails of league leaders Linlithgow Rose when they visit Hill of Beath.