Little steps on our road back to SPFL
IAN LITTLE admits Berwick Rangers have struggled to find their feet after becoming just the second SPFL side to be relegated.
But he’s hoping his young squad can make a name for themselves today against champions East Kilbride.
Berwick have claimed just four points from their first five games in the Lowland League after losing their SPFL status with a play-off loss to Cove Rangers.
That saw them follow East Stirling in tumbling down from League Two and Little was left with just five players after relegation.
But he has rebuilt the squad and hopes today’s clash with Kilby can be the start of better times.
Little said: “It’s tough for everybody but it’s different if you can get a settled team and then add two or three.
“When you’re trying to get 15 you’re struggling.
“We have to start getting results and getting ourselves up the league.
“Our aim is to get back to the SPFL but there’s a lot of teams who want to get out of this league and it’s not going to be easy. The nucleus of the top five or six can beat each other.
“Kelty seem to have the spending power and it might be their turn. We want to be up there and competing but it’s not our given right to be up there.
“It will be tough against East Kilbride. They’ve lost one or two players but they’ve had most of the team together for a long time and will be strong.
“We just have to go there and show what we can do. I think we have enough but it’s getting them to perform on a Saturday which is the hard thing.
“It will be tough away from home but it will maybe give us a wee break being away because teams are enjoying coming down to our place where the pitch is looking great.
“We just have to go and compete against the top teams and start turning things round.“
East Kilbride have also had a disappointing start and sit eighth with just 13 points from seven games.
But manager Stuart Malcolm is still confident his side can defend the championship and has boosted his squad by bringing in stopper George Stanger, 19, on loan from Hamilton until January.