Leith back to winning ways after rivals pegged them back

Leith Athletic manager Derek Riddel says the 5-0 defeat of Tynecastle was just the pick-me-up his squad needed following a setback in their bid to be crowned back-to-back league champions.

Leith Athletic coach Derek Riddel

The Meadowbank side were convincingly beaten 3-0 by nearest title challengers Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale – their first defeat of the season – ten days ago which whittled their lead at the top down to just two points with Lothian still to play their game in hand. But a Lewis Tracey brace and further strikes from Kerr Allan, Grant Burns and Robbie Mason, has put Riddel’s men on the winning trail once again.

“We were all really disappointed with how the Lothian game went last weekend. We didn’t play well enough but I also felt we were outfought which isn’t like us,” Riddel explained. “We really let ourselves down so I said to the players that I wanted a reaction against Tynecastle and that’s exactly what we got. I thought we were superb and thoroughly deserved our victory.”

Riddel also singled out praise for returning defender Burns.

“Grant suffered a really bad knee injury back in December 2015 so he’s been out of action for pretty much a whole year,” he said. “He’s slowly building his confidence back up and I think that was his fourth appearance now from the bench. We’re hoping to be able to start him against Tweedmouth on Saturday.”

Elsewhere, Lothian Thistle thrashed Richie Weir’s Ormiston 8-0 at Saughton Enclosure whilst Heriot-Watt University suffered a surprising 3-2 defeat at bottom side Burntisland Shipyard.