'All we can do is to keep on winning' - Dyes boss Gordon Wylde on his side's title race with Whitburn

The Grangemouth side won 5-1 at the weekend against mid-table Tweedmouth Rangers to move into top spot on goal difference, with the West Lothian side engaged in cup action.

However, the Dyes are only three goals better off than Whitburn - who have two matches in hand.

"It will be neck and neck for the rest of the season I think,” boss Wylde said to the Falkirk Herald. “I think it would be hard for any of the other teams to keep up with us and them.

"Of course they pipped us to the third division title last year so we have a real motivation from that but the important thing was just going up. They have a really good side full of players with experience.

"We just have to keep on winning. That’s all we can do as a team. We’ll take care of each game as it comes and everything else will fall into place. We have a great group here and I really think we can do big things at this club.

"The guys are in a good place and they have their Christmas night out coming up too so I am sure that be something to look forward too.”

On Saturday’s win, the boss was pleased with another comfortable home performance.

Doubles from Kevin Fotheringham and substitute Andy Johnston plus a cracking strike from recent signing Regan Thompson sealed the win, with a consolation coming from Rangers’ Craig Heath in the second half.

Wylde said: “We knew before the game that if we won by a couple of goals we would go top and we did mention that in the changing room. It can a boost just seeing yourself on that top spot even if it is a wee bit false for now with Whitburn having played two games less than us.

It was a nice feeling and it was a relaxing day all told. We scored five good goals and extended our brilliant run of results at home in the league. It was quite comfortable and I don’t think we had to play to our very best, but it was a job done.”

Goalscorer Thompson was also praised by the boss.

He added: "He is very aggressive, you won’t get the ball off him. He’s probably ahead of our boys in that he makes passes that split defences. He will score a lot of goals for us if we keep him long enough and I am sure that is just the start.

"He will run riot in our league at home because he’s a fantastic talent. It’s an unbelievable signing for us really. He’ll probably move on as he’s probably a Championship player.”

Syngenta take on relegation-threatened Lochgelly Albert on Saturday in another home league match.

Looking ahead to that match, Wylde said: “We are coming to the business end of the year. December and the winter months in general are an important time in a league campaign at this level. Matches will be called off here and there and consistency can be really hard to find.

"Pitches and conditions will be a leveller and we need to be on top of our game. It is a very easy time to slip up and we can’t afford to do that because Whitburn will keep on winning.”