Herd: Camelon players now have a target on their backs

The Mariners secured their place in the fourth round of the South Region Challenge Cup with a 4-1 win over Heriot Watt University at Carmuirs Park last Saturday.

It comes after an impressive six-game winning sequence in the Premier Division, which has propelled them to second in the league only two points behind early pacesetters Bo’ness United.

They now have the chance to lay down a marker against third-placed Tranent at home on Saturday, but Herd knows the longer their winning run continues the more determined the opposition will be in putting an end to it.

He told the Falkirk Herald: “We’ve now said to the boys that they will have a target on their backs.

“Teams will want to come here and knock us off our perch, so we need to be ready for that and so far we have stood up to that.

“Title talk obviously comes with the territory but we are approaching it one game at a time.

“Every game is a cup final. Saturday’s game won’t have a major bearing on the league but it would put down a marker.”

Camelon have yet to play Tranent but Herd is under no illusions about the challenge facing them on Saturday.

Herd said: “We have spoke to teams about them and they have been very impressed.

“We spoke to Broxburn Juniors boss Brian McNaughton and he said they were his favourites to win the league. They have got something about them.”

Herd will be expected to make a few changes from last week’s side after they rotated their squad with youngsters Blair Sneddon, Kieran Swanson and Tiwi Daramola all enjoying game time.

They have also signed former Rangers and Dundee United youth forward Arron Bryson.

Herd added: “He’s a young boy only 17, he’s got a good background. He fits in with what we’re trying to do at Camelon, bringing in young, hungry players that have got good ability.

“We mixed it up a bit last week in terms of personnel, a few young boys got a chance to impress and played well. It’s good to use the squad without having a detrimental effect on the team.”