TITLE-CHASING Whitburn face a huge game at home to Camelon tomorrow as they try to maintain their challenge for the Super League crown.
Camelon led the race themselves for several weeks before a 4-2 defeat at Lochee last weekend saw them drop down to third place behind Lochee and Whitburn.
Dundonians Lochee are still in pole position for the title with a one-point advantage over
Whitburn plus a game in hand.
Central Park boss Derek Strickland knows just how important tomorrow's game is.
He said: "This is a bigger game for us than it is for Camelon.
"We cannot afford to drop any points – in fact we need other sides to help us by taking points from Lochee.
"However, Lochee have a massive game at Bathgate and it could be a real six-pointer this weekend. We'll be keeping an ear on the Bathgate result."
Strickland should have a full squad to choose from and his son Colin will get the full 90 minutes after a cameo role in Wednesday night's 3-2 loss to Linlithgow in the Dechmont Forklift Cup.
Strickland senior said: "We had a bad defeat at Linlithgow on Wednesday night and I didn't play him from the start, preferring to keep him fit for tomorrow's game which I feel is more important for us.
"There are huge incentives for winning the Super League title and it is important that we concentrate on this competition.
"But Camelon have had a great season. They have played well and it wasn't a surprise when they went to the top of the table.
"Lochee have done well, too, and the pressure is more on us now than Lochee.
"They can afford a slip-up and still win, while we have to keep winning every game.
"If we are consistent then we can do it but we mustn't let our concentration fall. We have to be on the ball for the full game."
Whitburn need a repeat of last week's performance against Tayport when they ran out comfortable 3-0 winners.
They restricted the Fifers to very few chances while creating a barrowload themselves and could easily have doubled their tally.
But Camelon have players who could severely damage the Central Parkers' title hopes.
Andy Shirra and Jim Lister are both in the Scotland Junior Select and are both going Senior with Stenhousemuir next season.
Whitburn defender Joe Mbu is also in the Scotland set-up and agrees with Strickland about the critical nature of tomorrow's game.
He said: "If anything, this game is more important than last week.
"We beat Camelon at the start of the season but they have improved since then.
"I also know just how good the international colleagues of mine are and it is no surprise that both are stepping up to the Seniors.
"But we have the players who can win this game for us.
"Colin Strickland only missed out on the Scotland set-up because of injury and, when he came on as a sub against Linlithgow, he gave us a new dimension to our play and they found him hard to handle. Hopefully, Camelon will find him the same.
"We are confident we can win our remaining league games and keep the pressure on Lochee.
"We beat them in Dundee earlier and they still have to come to Whitburn."
Manager Strickland has maintained for several years that his side have been punching above their weight in the Super League.
He and his assistants have been working on a shoestring budget and what they have achieved has attracted the attention of other sides in the Super League and beyond.
Strickland has been linked with several other jobs but he seems content to stay where he is at present.
That could all change, though, depending on whether he succeeds or fails in his quest for the title.
The championship carries the added incentive of the opportunity to play in the Scottish Senior Cup – which Linlithgow thoroughly enjoyed before losing in the third round to this year's finalists, Queen of the South.
A win tomorrow is crucial for Whitburn and Strickland to keep that dream alive for themselves.
The full article contains 704 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
