Syngenta: Dyes trounce table-toppers Dalkeith Thistle 5-0 to continue promotion push

A four-goal haul from Callum Sheridan and a strike from James Finlay sealed the three points on the day at Ochilview – despite Ryan McElwee being sent off for the hosts.

“That was probably a bit of a statement win for us,” the boss explained. “I told the guys before the game that I didn’t need to motivate them – this season we’ve failed to turn up against the other challenging sides and we’ve let ourselves down.

"To get into another league higher up, you can’t have that and you can’t just beat the teams you are expected to beat. And to be fair to the guys they really turned up and deserved to win by that sort of margin.

"From the first minute we were at them. Callum Sheridan was magnificent and he scored four brilliant goals. Across the park we did everything right and even after the red card we still took the game to them.

"Our substitutes were top-notch too. Callum Robertson and Andy Johnson both pressed them up front. Dalkeith probably thought they could get back into the game after the red card but our subs really pushed them back and worked so hard off the ball.”

Wylde also admitted he changed his ‘score more goals than the opposition’ style philosophy for the first time in management career, after witnessing his side lose out in similar previous outings.

He said: "I did something I have never done before in my career and I went a little bit defensive. I learned my lesson a few weeks back when we went out of a cup tie and I said to them at half time to just play forward when it was on.

"We went to a 4-3-1-1 with the one in behind the striker dropping in and it worked a treat. I was proud of the players for what they put into the match. I am always learning too and it was call I felt I had to make.

"Going forward I won’t be as gung-ho in our approach if it means we take more points from games against the sides also going for the title. Winning promotion again would be special. Truthfully I don’t see many sides challenging Whitburn.”