CRAIGMARK Burntonians boss Ian Patterson has been left frustrated as his side prepare to sit idle amidst an impressive run of form.
The Station Park outfit made it four WoSFL Second Division matches unbeaten on Saturday with a resounding 6-3 win away to Easterhouse.
Despite going behind early, goals from Ross Armer, Reece Wilson and Jordan Banks saw the visitors head into the break with a commanding lead.
Easterhouse got a goal back after the restart but a further strike from Thomas Donovan and a Dylan O'Kane double made it 6-2 before a late consolation goal took some gloss off the final scoreline.
“It’s one of the only teams we didn’t beat last year so to up there and come away with a very impressive win is delightful for me," Patterson said.
“We were excellent on Saturday. I know they’ve scored three goals but, in my opinion, two of them are offside and one of them is a consolation goal when we’re 6-2 up and we’ve made five changes which have disrupted our team.
“That’s us now four unbeaten in the league, three of them were away from home and three of them are really tough games.
“To come away from that is very impressive. From that point of view, I’m very happy.”
Next up for The Mark is a home tie against East of Scotland Premier Division side Jeanfield Swifts in the South Challenge Cup second round on Saturday, September 5.
Patterson is hoping to find a way through in the fixture following a Scottish Junior Cup exit away to last week ago.
He said: “Last week, in the cup, I felt we should have got something out of the game. We’ve hit the bar twice and we should have had two penalties, in my opinion.
“This week, it’s another team that is unknown. We’ll just see what happens, it’s a free hit really.”
Though Craigmark are set for a free week after the tie, on Saturday September 12, which has frustrated Patterson.
His team were set to take on Knightswood away in the League Cup, though the match has been postponed.
This is as a result of the hosts ground sharing with Kirkintilloch Rob Roy whose home Scottish Cup tie will take priority on that day.
“It frustrates me because they put the pressure on the players’ welfare at the start of the season, asking them to play midweeks," Patterson commented.
“Then you go into the second week in September and you’re given a free week. We were meant to have a free week the week after as well but they’ve managed to get us a fixture in the league now.
“To have teams sitting idle in the second week in September, I don’t know any other league in Scotland which works like that.
“Obviously, the Scottish Cup takes priority, but we are punished for a team not owning their own ground. In my opinion, they should be forced to find an alternative venue or the tie should be flipped.
“The fixtures are always an issue in our league, we know that. We get told the same answer, it’s a hard job.”
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