Dunipace 'in a great position' after derby win over Camelon puts them top, says boss Danny Smith

The Denny club are a point clear of Newtongrange Star having played two games less after last Friday night’s local derby triumph over third-placed Camelon Juniors. That 2-1 win at Westfield, a second of the season over the Mariners, has put the Pace in pole position at the season’s halfway point.

And with a crowd of over 500 taking in the match, boss Smith hailed how things are going on and off the park at Dunipace, saying: “I think between both clubs we have managed to create a cracking wee derby match.

"It is starting to draw a big crowd consistently and at Camelon last year we had 500-odd that day so that is excellent. We’ve managed to put ourselves in a great position on and off the park.

"The stadium looks great and we managed the crowd well and the people behind the scenes deserve so much credit for the work that is going on to make the club better. We are trying to improve how we do things.

“It is never going to be easy. It is a very competitive league. We’ve also been playing catch-up all season long and of course we didn’t play at home for so long and the season has been a different one for us.

"It would actually be good if the local sides, us and Camelon, could both go up this season to the premier division, we want to keep this going.”

On the night, Sam Colley made it five goals in three December matches for the Pace as his double sealed the three points, with Kevin Fotheringham’s late goal a consolation only.

"We’ve put ourselves in a great position,” Smith added. “With the way the table was looking, I knew it would be likely that if we won this one we would have been top for the first time going into the new year and that is a nice feeling for the players.

"We totally deserved to win the match and it was a strong performance in tough conditions. Both teams did well actually to make it a spectacle because the frost was still very much on the pitch.

"We lost a goal late on and we could have managed that but Camelon are a good side. We could have had the game wrapped up early on with the chances that we had but the three points is all that matters.

"If we keep winning we’ll stay where we are. Blackburn this Saturday will be difficult and if we don’t turn up then we won’t get the three points. The motivation should be there with the bonus that the guys know that they can stay top of the table.”

Smith and his coaching team also penned a contract extension until 2026 in the wake of that derby win, with a club spokesperson saying: “After taking the reins in November 2020, Danny and his coaching staff - Alan Moffat, Bruce Totten and Ali Jenkins - led us to our first senior trophy, The South Challenge Cup, before taking us to a further two cup finals last season and going so close to promotion

"Under his guidance, we've also established a young core of first-team players over the last few years who are now maturing into a side capable of going toe-to-toe with some of the biggest sides outside of the SPFL.

"On top of all of that, there's also last season's historic run in the Scottish Cup that saw us reach Round Three before bowing out against Championship side Cove Rangers.

“With their long-term futures now secured, we can't wait to see what else is to come in the future!”