Mckenzie: Title win is incredible Brilliant season capped as trophy presented
Central Second Division winners Forth Wanderers rounded off a remarkable season by being crowned Central Second Division champions on Saturday afternoon.
Manager Jamie Mckenzie looked on proudly as the trophy was presented to club captain Kris Dick.
“It has been a fantastic season, with us winning the championship the crowning point,” said the former Partick Thistle and Albion Rovers midfielder.
“At the start of the season we sat down to draw up our three-year planning to get out of the Second Division, but luckily we have achieved it in one season, the club’s first league title in 36 years.
players deserve massive credit, winning 12 of our 13 games in the run-in to clinch the title by eight points was an incredible feat, and I’m delighted for everyone associated with the club.”
Mckenzie added: “For me the turning point of the season came quite early on, when we went down 3-0 at Cambuslang and looked dead and buried, but came back to win 5-3. Days like that stick in my mind.
“There were other important games along the way when boys played well, winning games when we weren’t playing particularly well, but the Cambuslang game was one that sticks in my mind.”
Forth had hoped the trophy presentation would have taken place at the last league game of the season, when Royal Albert were the visitors in a game brought forward to th Friday night to avoid clashing with Forth Gala on the Saturday.
However, West Region officials were unable to attend, as they were involved in the West of Scotland Cup final at Pollock’s Newlandsfield Park that night.
Instead, it took place after the play-off for the Evening Times Champions’ Cup competition, when Forth were paired against Ayrshire District League champions Girvan.
The visitors looked like the more threatening side in the first half and went close several times before Forth started to make an impact, with Kris Dick firing home a 25-yard drive in 36 minutes.
Girvan had the better of the second half and equalised two minutes into stoppage time to send the play-off in to a penalty shoot“the Central League First Division side Larkhall Thistle were Lanarkshire’s last hopeful in the Euroscot Engineering Central League Cup quarterfinal as they took on Super First Division side Rutherglen Glencairn last night (Wednesday). out, which the Ayrshire side won 3-2.
Forth’s penalty successes were from Taylor Scott and Jason Corbett.
Manager Mckenzie said: “It was disappointing to lose a goal seconds from time, which was a disappointing end to a wonderful season.”