Nailing down Matty Yates' role in Stenhousemuir team is key, reckons boss Gary Naysmith

Naysmith’s team defeated Annan Athletic 2-1 on Saturday afternoon at Ochilview Park to round off the League Two season. Stenhousemuir finished in sixth place on 47 points from 36 outings, just three points off the promotion play-off positions.

"It was a chance for us to see Matty as the main striker,” boss Naysmith told the Falkirk Herald. “Gavin (Reilly) who has been playing there had picked up an injury during the week. Tam (Orr) also had a knock too.

“It is something we haven’t done much since coming into the club for one reason or another. We had Euan O’Reilly out on the right hand side too for a change because I think he can offer something different there than on the left side.

“Although you want to go out and win the game, the fact it was the final match of the season, and that we didn’t have anything riding on it, it was a perfect chance to try some players who will be here next season in different positions and roles within the team.

“We certainly saw a few things that were encouraging and of course Matty goes on to score the two goals in the game.”

Yates, 20, hit the back of net 19 times during his first campaign at the Warriors since joining from Stranraer last summer, and Naysmith reckons the key to furthering his potential is to nail down one position on the pitch.

“You forgot he is still a young boy,” he said. “His ratio for goals is outstanding for this point in his career but he still has things to learn. It is my job and Brown’s (Ferguson) job to teach him what he needs to learn.

“We are aware of that and we need to find out where we want to use him. He even says himself that he doesn’t know his best position and we want that to change.

“He can play out wide, in-behind, or up top and that is great but we want to get him to that next level.”

On the campaign, Naysmith added: “We had a poor run at the wrong time and it has cost us in the end. The truth is that if you concede 55 goals in a season then you won’t be able to do much. We need to fix that.”