Bayview men still have plenty to play for, says manager Young

East Fife boss Darren Young says his squad still has plenty to play for despite slipping out of the promotion race at Stark’s Park on Tuesday.

The Methil men headed to meet their kingdom counterparts knowing they realistically had to beat both them and league leaders Ayr United on Saturday to have an outside chance of reaching the top four.

But they couldn’t convert some decent early pressure on the Raith goal into clear cut chances and were punished by Barry Smith’s side who ran out 2-0 winners to keep alive their own Championship ambitions.

With a healthy point advantage over second bottom, and too much of a gap to make up over fourth, Young’s side have little to play for in terms of their league ambitions.

The boss, though, says that’s no reason to down tools, and reminded his players they need little motivation to keep their standards high.

He said: “Some will be playing for contracts and the guys who are on loan are looking to impress their parent clubs. So you have to put all that into the mix.

“Guys are playing for their futures.”

Young believes his side put enough into Tuesday’s game to take something from it.”

Young added: “We had four or five good corners and I don’t know how we managed not to do anything with them. “It’s just that ruthlessness. “They showed that, had one chance and then bang – goal.

“There wasn’t much in the game in the second half and they get a header from a corner.

“I thought we had got by all of that losing goals for corners.

“Again it’s an individual error that’s cost us.”