Football: Crunch time for Whitburn as they aim to avoid drop

The Central Park team sit second bottom of the Super League, four points adrift of tomorrow's opponents.

Strickland's men suffered a 6-0 midweek defeat to Linlithgow Rose which plunged them nearer to the drop and the manager acknowledged the effect of such a crushing loss.

However, he is confident his men will be ready for tomorrow's test.

"There were a lot of long faces after that defeat and it was shocking," said Strickland.

"However, I'm now free of suspension and back in the dug-out for tomorrow. The lads will be up for this game because it's our last chance.

"A win for Hill of Beath or a draw means that we're relegated. A win for us is a must first and foremost. Even then we still have a lot to do but if we beat Beath then we're still in with a chance. We're down to the bare bones once again and it's time for the players to stand up and be counted.

"If we apply ourselves as we can then we'll win but the next few days are going to be nerve-wracking. We should have Colin, my son, back for the game and he's been missed, otherwise everyone else is fit."

Whitburn have one more game after tomorrow – an away trip to Lochee – while Hill of Beath are at home to Musselburgh on Monday and away to Linlithgow on Wednesday.

Strickland, who will be leaving the club at the end of the season, revealed: "I've been here for ten years now and, for the sake of Derek Strickland and for Whitburn, it's time to go.

"I've loved being at Central Park. It's been a challenge from day one because there is a belief that Whitburn are a big junior club when, in fact, we work on a shoestring budget.

"However, it's the expectations at the club that put pressure on you. We are expected to win silverware year in, year out and that's a difficult thing to achieve.

"For years now, Whitburn have punched above our weight in games but sometimes the supporters don't see it that way.

"We can't compete with the likes of Linlithgow or Bathgate but we're expected to beat them on a regular basis.

"We as a club have made some bad decisions and I'm one of the first to hold my hands up.

"We stayed out of the Super League when we had qualified and I'm still not sure if that was the right decision.

"I took the club into the Super League five years ago and since then we've never been out of the top four.

"In the season when we finished runners-up, we started the season with nine straight wins out of nine. No other side has done that.

"We finished runners-up with 51 points and the league has been won with 42 points in the past. But, again, the expectations were high and some supporters weren't happy with that finish.

"I would like to thank Denny McComiskey, my assistant, who has been a tremendous help to me and the committee who have always given me their wholehearted support. I would like to thank everyone at Whitburn for their support and wish them well for the future."

There are only another two junior matches tomorrow, with Bonnyrigg travelling to Lochee to face United in a game they must win to lift themselves clear of the danger zone.

If they lose, they are still within catching distance of Whitburn or Hill of Beath so a win is vital.

Meanwhile, in Fife, Linlithgow play already-relegated Glenrothes. A win would help lift Linlithgow towards the runners-up spot in the table.

THE Fife & Lothians Cup Final between Bathgate Thistle v Musselburgh Athletic will take on Tuesday, 15 June, at New Victoria Park, Newtongrange.