Blairgowrie aim to end season on a high

Jun 5 2009 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

TOMORROW Blairgowrie will bring down the curtain on their season when they take on Ballingry in the Premier League at Davie Park.

This is certainly no run of the mill end of the season encounter as it carries “a must win tag” as far as Blair are concerned.

Any other results will see them relegated along with Dundee North End and Dundonald Bluebell.

If Blair take the three crucial points from this game and avoid the drop, Oakley will fill that third relegation spot.

This has been a real roller coaster of a first season for Blair in the Premier League but they have enjoyed playing in it very much and they are desperately keen to remain as one of its members.

Blair took some time to get acclimatised to life in the bigger league and their results in the first half of the season were disappointing; relegation became a very realistic possibility.

The turn of the year brought about a dramatic change in their fortunes with a string of excellent results in their league games and a place in the GA Cup final, which gave their confidence a boost. Now it is down to the outcome of this final encounter as to whether or not they will avoid the drop and remain in the Premier League.

Blair boss Billy Mackay said “We have been playing in what can be likened to a cup final atmosphere in every league game we have played in for some weeks now and an adverse result could have proved to be fatal and relegation a fact”.

Billy went on to say: “The players have responded magnificently, our team spirit has been absolutely terrific and they are very much looking forward to this extremely crucial encounter with confidence”.

Ballingry like their hosts, won promotion last season and for a space, they were doing very well in their Premier League games and were contenders in the race for the championship.

Their form, however, slumped and as a consequence, they slipped down into the relegation zone and it took them until their most recent game to secure the three points that would keep them in the Premier League.

The Fifers have also had their problems off the Park as their manager resigned a couple of weeks ago and so far a successor has not yet been appointed. Blairgowrie lost the corresponding league game at Ballingry by 4–2. The teams also met in the Redwood Leisure Cup

This game was played at Davie Park and Blair were trailing by 4–1 at the interval. A terrific second half right back saw the game end all square at 5–5.

Blair went on to loose the ensuing penalty shoot out. Now they are looking to take some revenge by winning tomorrow’s very crucial encounter.

Blair chances of doing so have been strengthened by the fact that they will have an almost full strength squad of 16 available.

The indications are that there could be a very good crowd at this game with the home support spurring their favourites hopefully on to a win. That will see Premier League football continuing to be played at Davie Park next season.

Scone Thistle’s Awards Night was held last Saturday in the Scone Arms. The Player of the Year went to Jamie Reid.

The Management Player of the Year was Keith Dewar.

The Club Man of the Year is Graham Campbell.

Two Life Memberships were bestowed on long serving committee men Alan Rodger and Willie Gardiner for their outstanding services to the club.

Tomorrow night is the turn of Jeanfield Swifts and Luncarty.