IAN Little is aiming to end his first season as Tranent boss on a high and bring silverware back to the town.

The club’s Scottish Lowland Football League title bid looks to have faltered as East Kilbride have one hand on the trophy.

However, Tranent remain in the running in two competitions – the South Challenge Cup and the Lowland League Cup – with East Kilbride standing in their way in both.

The Belters will face the K Park club in the semi-finals of the South Challenge Cup next weekend before heading to Broadwood Stadium for the final of the Lowland League Cup on April 7.

Little said: “You go back to trying to win games, cup games or not.

“You go into the game and treat it like any other but emphasise it means a lot to the players.

“It is for the club, the players and the fans.

“The games are coming thick and fast, and it is not as though you can sit and pick out a big semi-final.

“Every game is a big game for us and we will go out and do our best.

“The game will come quick and then we have to do our best.

“It is important, it is good for the club and the fans.”

 

 

The cup contests are just part of a busy end to the season for Little and his team.

They fell to a 4-3 defeat at home to East Stirlingshire on Tuesday evening, having faced Cumbernauld Colts the previous midweek, in addition to regular Saturday fixtures.

The manager described the fixture list as “busy”, with a date for a clash with Celtic B also yet to be announced.

He stressed the importance of keeping the squad fresh and limiting injuries as they attempted to finish the campaign on a high.

Little said: “Everybody wants to play every minute.

“When things are going good, we can get players off and give a bit of rest – not that they like that!

“Games are really tight all the time at the moment and we are picking up a few injuries.

“We have got a few boys back but the way we have been going they have done really, really well and I cannot complain.”

The 50-year-old is no stranger to cup finals, himself having lifted the Scottish Challenge Cup with both Stenhousemuir and Alloa Athletic, scoring in the penalty shootout win over Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

He told Courier Sport: “It is definitely harder as a coach or manager.

“I will enjoy it but it is not about me or what I achieve.

“At the end of the day, we are trying to make sure players are prepared and ready for the final.

“It is them that take it over the line.

“I will sit down and have a beer or a cup of tea and you take a bit of pride in it.”