Musselburgh Athletic boss eyes record points haul

Musselburgh Athletic boss Stevie McLeish has set his sights on securing the club's highest-ever points total in the Super League.

Musselburgh manager Stevie McLeish

Burgh sit fourth in the table with ten league games still to play and, although a title challenge maybe looks beyond them and their safety in the top tier is secure, McLeish insists the Olivebank men still have a lot to play for. The club have racked up 33 points from their 20 games so far. Their best total stands at 43 points and McLeish has challenged his men to beat that by securing a place in the top five.

“I wouldn’t say my eye is on next season just yet, we’re trying to get the boys galvanised towards our challenges for this year,” said McLeish. “We’re still in the Fife and Lothians Cup and we’re at the top end of the league. Musselburgh are rarely there come the end of the season so it would be nice to be in that top four or five come the end.”

Burgh host Broxburn Athletic tomorrow. After suffering two defeats on the spin, they took a point off leaders Bo’ness United last weekend. McLeish hopes that will boost confidence in their ranks and is hoping they can re-ignite a run which saw them lose just one in 12 from September through to December.

He said: “Our front two (Steven Thomson and Sean Jamieson) on Saturday were phenomenal and we will take confidence from it because the whole team feeds off it. The longer the game went on, it just spread throughout the whole team. Broxburn are on the way up as well. They are decent side and they have improved significantly since we played them in November. They look like they are a threat and it will be a tough game yet again.

“When a run finishes, the first thing you think about is starting another one. Sometimes a run can help you build confidence and you look unbeatable, but there’s also a nervousness about a run – altough that’s probably more me than the players.”

McLeish hopes to have goalkeeper John Dodds back after he missed last week’s match with flu.

Elsewhere, Newtongrange Star will look to bounce back from last week’s 2-0 defeat to Hill of Beath when they host Tayport. Bonnyrigg Rose visit Beath while Linlithgow Rose travel to Carnoustie Panmure.