MUSSELBURGH Athletic manager Liam Burns has called on his team to treat every game like a cup final in their bid to clinch a league title.

The Honest Toun team were knocked out of the East of Scotland Football League (EoSFL) League Cup by Sauchie Juniors on Saturday, leaving them with just seven league games to concentrate on.

Trailing long-time league leaders Broxburn Athletic by nine points, it is the West Lothian side firmly in the driving seat.

However, Burns and his team can trim that gap to six points if they win their game in hand and keep the pressure on top spot.

He said: “We are totally focused on the league.

“We have now got seven games to play and will treat every one like a cup final.

“We will see where we end up, whether that is first, second or third.

“We will see where we end up but there is no aim between now and the end of the season. It is just to win the next game.

“We are relying on results round about us to go for or against us.”

This weekend could prove vital in the destination of the league title, which was won by Tranent two years ago.

Musselburgh face a trip to Luncarty, who sit in the relegation zone but come into the contest with nine points from their last four games.

At the same time, Broxburn will also be heading north as they take on third-placed Jeanfield Swifts – who Musselburgh face at the end of the month.

Burns was quick to stress that the game at the Brownlands Park home of Luncarty was not going to be straight-forward for his side.

Musselburgh Athletic and Liam Burns travel north this weekend

Musselburgh Athletic and Liam Burns travel north this weekend

He said: “We played them at the start of the season and they played quite well.

“We won 1-0 but they have got good players and it is difficult whenever you travel.

“These teams are more difficult at their place and if anything has shown this year, at this level, is you cannot take anything for granted.

“Every week, there is a result out of nowhere.

“Glenrothes gave us a good game, beat Broxburn and then were defeated by Penicuik Athletic.

“It is a case of on the day who turns up.

“Our frustration is we have dropped too many points in terms of draws where we should have done better.

“That may come back to bite us at the end of the season but also we have progressed.”

The Olivebank outfit recovered from a slow start last campaign, which saw Burns replace former Haddington boss Joe Hamill in the hot seat.

 

 

In the end, they finished third, nine points behind Sauchie Juniors and a further nine behind league champions Linlithgow Rose, who were promoted to the Lowland League.

The departure from the cup competition on Saturday leaves just the league and the chance to further improve on last season.

Burns saw his team’s bid for the League Cup ended by Sauchie on Saturday as a Jonny Court strike was not enough in a 2-1 defeat.

That was just Musselburgh’s second loss this year, the other defeat coming in extra time against the Lowland League’s Stirling University.

The manager said: “After a difficult week where we obviously played Hutchison Vale, Sauchie and Jeanfield Swifts in the space of a week in the league and then Sauchie again in the cup, it was always going to be difficult.”