Irvine Meadow manager hits out a fixtures

May 29 2009 by John Woods, Irvine Herald

FURIOUS Irvine Meadow manager Chris Strain has accused Junior bosses of favouring title rivals Pollok when it comes to arranging end of season fixtures.

“It’s the same old story as last year,” fumed Strain, right.

“We’d played more games than anyone else because our park’s in terrific condition but when it comes to arranging the midweek fixtures we end up playing three or four times a week while Pollok are having it easy.

“Then, when it gets to the decisive stage, we’ve played all our games and they’re left to face teams who have nothing to play for, who aren’t interested or who’re still celebrating a couple of days after winning the Scottish Cup.

“That was a not-so-veiled reference to next Tuesday’s Talbot-Pollok clash which comes just 48 hours after the Beecwhood side face Clydebank in the end of season showpiece at Rugby Park.

The league situation is almost identical to last season with Meadow having completed their programme with 48 points, five ahead of Pollok who face relegated Cumnock – who have already released several players – on Friday before heading for Auchinleck on Thursday.

Pollok pipped Meadow to the title last time round and, after their win over Glenafton on Monday, Strain fears they will do it again.

“It’s set up for then,” he groaned. “The fixtures have all been arranged to suit them again.”

But the Meadow boss admitted he was thrilled at his side’s performance in the 2-1 win at Pollok last Wednesday.

“That was probably our best performance of the season and afer the game even Pollok officials were saying they felt we were ahead of them now.

“I feel we’ve finally laid the Pollok bogey and our team’s not all that far away from being a championship-winning side now.

“The addition of a couple of left-sided players should see us just about there.”

But Strain admitted his players have done all they can do and it’s down to someone else to help them to the title.

“We’ve done our part of the job and now we can only wait to see if either Auchinleck or Cumnock can do us a massive favour in their forthcoming games against Pollok.”