Syngenta: Wylde reckons Camelon derby clash will be a cracker against 'brilliant' boss Kenny

The Dyes boss, 58, was glowing in his praise of the Mariners and their manager, Stewart Kenny, who has recently taken over at the club.

"You don’t take Oakley into the First Division with a shoe-string budget like Stewart had if you aren’t a good manager,” he said ahead of the match, which is being played at Ochilview with a 7.45pm kick-off. “ He is a really good coach and I am not surprised that they are picking up again. They had a really good win at Lochore Welfare at the weekend and that is a tough place to go.

“I have a soft spot for Camelon to be honest and it has been a tough time for them over the past few years. They have too many good players to be at the bottom end of the table. Mitchell Taylor and Joe Bevan are two guys I really like up front and they are excellent footballers. Under Stewart who I know really well, I think they will kick on.

"This time last year we beat Camelon 4-3 in a cup match and it was an end-to-end game. Hopefully we get a decent crowd for it because I think it could be a cracking cup tie between two local teams.”

On Saturday afternoon, the Dyes continued their promotion push with a 3-1 home victory over Edinburgh United.

Goals from Kevin Fotheringham, Jason Walton and Liam Taggart sealed the three points – sending the side five points clear in second spot in the East of Scotland Second Division table, just three points behind leaders Whitburn.

The victory was the perfect birthday present for Wylde, who celebrated his 58th birthday over the weekend.

He said: “It was a great present to win and put on a good performance. I’m 58 now and I am really enjoying it here at Syngenta.

“It was only three points at the moment but Whitburn are a very good side and we need to keep on winning. They also have a game in hand and we know from last season just how competitive a title race with them is.

“Edinburgh were very stuffy and our guys worked ever so hard to break them down, it can be really frustrating watching teams put ten men behind the ball and sit in, but they are entitled to do that if they please.

“It was a great three points for us in that sense because it was a learning curve for our players too on how to break a team down and we did get caught on the counter for their goal in the second half.

“Edinburgh went 2-0 up against Whitburn and eventually lost to them recently but that shows you they are no mugs. I can’t ask any more of my players at the moment.”

Meanwhile, the boss also praised recent signing Reagan Thomson for his start to life at the Dyes.

The former Newcastle United starlet, who moved from Queen’s Park for a six-figure fee back in 2020, has joined the club hoping to kick-start his career again.

"He has fallen out of love with the game a wee bit,” Wylde explained. “He has settled in well and we’ll take care of him here. I know he will do well and find himself back in the big time. He is a smashing young guy.”