Crunch games loom for Annan

May 1 2009 by Craig Robertson, Dumfries Standard Friday

AT THE START of the season Annan boss Harry Cairney looked at the final two remaining fixtures and knew they would be big games.

Although he never could have predicted they would be just as important for his own side as they are for Stenhousemuir and Dumbarton.

But the incredible success story that Cairney has harvested from his men in their first season in the Scottish Football League means Annan need the points to finish in a fourth place play-off spot.

That would be a major achievement for a side mainly brought together last summer in the weeks between their appointment to the league and its first game.

In their way sit Stenhousemuir who are two points ahead in fourth place.

And in next week’s final match it’s Dumbarton, who may need the points themselves to gain outright promotion.

“We looked at those fixtures at the start of the season and knew they would be good games,” admitted Cairney.

“We thought they would be important as both Stenhousemuir and Dumbarton would be challenging for promotion.

“They are both up there now so they should both be good games.”

Tomorrow’s game, away against Stenhousemuir, is shaping up to be a make or break for Annan’s Third Division play-off hopes.

The Galabank boss told the Standard: “We still have it to play for but the last few games have been disappointing where we have created the chances but have only won one out of the last six games.

“So Saturday is a big game for us.

“Stenhousemuir will be desperate to finish in that fourth place spot and I think our lads will be a bit more relaxed going into the game.

“Hopefully we can get something out of it and keep ourselves in there.”

Annan’s 1-1 draw last week against their bogey team Berwick meant they slipped off the fourth place.

But whatever happens this week or next, 2008/09 will forever be marked in Galabank’s history book as a season of sucess.

Cairney added: “We had a points total target at the start of the season and we’ve went past that so we are delighted with the ways things have went.

“We are hoping to improve on that again next year and keep the lads we have brought in to build on the sucess.”

The gaffer will have a full strength side to choose from apart from long-term injury problems, Steve Archibald and Gary Brown.