Threave Rovers caretaker boss reckons four teams still in West of Scotland League promotion fight

Paul McGinley insists it’s a four-way fight to claim the final two promotion places on offer in the West of Scotland League’s third division.

The Castle Douglas side’s hopes were dealt a huge blow when they lost to Finnart by the odd goal in seven on Saturday.

The crushing blow came a few days after Threave’s game at leaders Lanark United was abandoned with McGinley’s men minutes from victory.

The events of the last few days have left them in sixth and needing slip-ups from other teams to help them claim a top three spot. But caretaker gaffer McGinley said: “We’re still in there fighting and scrapping. It’s four teams for two positions now.

“I don’t think anything from our side has changed. Unfortunately we have that scenario with Lanark, which could have pushed us right in there.

“It’s still two from four, we’ll just go for it with a smile and we’ll see where it takes us.”

Lanark are looking set for the title, with Bellshill Athletic on 51 points with two games to go.

Lesmahagow in third are perhaps best placed on 50 points with four games left.

Then come Finnart on 48 (one game to play), Vale of Leven on 47 (two games to play) and Threave on 45 (three games to play).

The situation improved in Threave's favour on Wednesday night with a 5-2 win over Dumfries and Galloway rivals Kello Rovers putting them fourth in the table. Saturday sees them back at Meadow Park with West Park United the visitors.

The abandoned Lanark match – which Threave were leading 3-2 in the dying minutes before the action was stopped after opponent Kevin Talbot suffered a serious injury – is pencilled in for Wednesday night but McGinley is hoping it doesn’t go ahead.

He said: “The obvious decision would be to give us the points,