Injury to skipper a big blow for Jags

Bathgate Thistle manager Mikey Wilson admits the positives from his side’s pre-season opener were wiped away by the news that captain Stuart McLeod faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

The skipper sustained ankle ligament damage in a nasty challenge late in the first half that resulted in the visitors being reduced to 10 men.

He had already played a pivotal role in Thistle’s opener against Whitehill Welfare on the half-hour mark with the key assist as Jordan Duncan fired the ball home off the woodwork as the Jags had the better of the play.

However, he would have to be helped off the field less than 10 minutes later.

Whitehill levelled early in the second half through an own goal before a series of changes for both clubs saw the game become bogged down, as usually happens in pre-season friendlies.

The Lowland League outfit, though, would net twice in the closing stages to seal the win.

Ali Smith fired his side into the lead on 84 minutes and, barely 100 seconds later, former Livingston youth defender Craig Reid’s tremendous ball over the top was finished off in style by Fabio Neto with a delicate lob over the onrushing Bathtgate substitute goalie.

Wilson, who was a coach with Welfare before taking over at Creamery Park, admitted the injury to his skipper dampened the positives from the clash.

He said: “Stoogs has got pretty serious ankle ligament damage so that’s a massive blow for us. He’s the captain and a big part of the team so for him to be out for a fair length of time is a real shame.

“Whitehill are a couple of weeks ahead of us in terms of pre-season training and we were a few players shy from our full strength team so I think that told in the end because the fitness wasn’t quite there in the closing stages. But it was good to get out there again and give everyone some game time.”

He added: “We started a wee bit slow in the first half but I think we came on to a game and were the better side at the break.

“We played some good football and I was pleased with how things went in the first half.

“There was a lack of experience on the bench so when we made plenty of subs that was always going to be an issue, but there are plenty of positives to take from it.

“We’ve agreed to play them again later in the season which will probably be a truer reflection of the two teams and a good marker for us to see how we’ve improved.”

Whitehill are a couple of weeks ahead of us in terms of pre-season training