Gaston out to end season on a high after low of Killie title blow

ARBROATH keeper Derek Gaston believes his side will turn the pain from Friday night’s defeat to Kilmarnock into fuel to spur them on through the play-offs.

The shot-stopper says he and his team-mates are still hurting after the Ayrshire side’s late Rugby Park winner.

The defeat was made worse by Killie lifting the Championship trophy moments after their late winner, ending the Lichties’ fairy-tale.

But the Angus side do still have another shot at glory in the form of the play-offs.

“You don’t want to feel that low,” he told Telegraph Sport. “It will be fresh in the memory of everyone.

“We don’t want to go through that again. Can we give it an extra couple of per cent so we don’t end up feeling like that?

“When things like Friday happen, we do know we can use it to our advantage.

“After Morton, we could have four games. It’s not like we’ve got months to go, we just need to get through these games.”

Despite the disappointment of missing out on the top spot, finishing second would have been unthinkable for Arbroath at the start of the season.

The 35-year-old knows the late Killie defeat will not define their season.

“It’s still very fresh in the memory and we’re feeling low,” he said.

“When you look back on it in the weeks or years to come, you’ll realise how good an accomplishment it was.

“It’s strange because if we were sitting sixth in the table and managed to sneak into the playoffs, there would be huge celebrations.

“We’d all be buzzing to be there. The fact we’ve been there, in the top two or three all season, it takes that wee bit of shine off it.”

Derek Gaston is setting his sights on play-off glory.