A SURGE up the table and the chance to win the league title on the last day of the season has been compared to a “fairytale”.
Just two points separate Whitehill Welfare and third-placed Penicuik Athletic – with Dunbar United sandwiched in between – at the top of the East Region of the East of Scotland Development League.
In the final round of fixtures, the Seasiders will be looking to secure a win over Edinburgh Community and hoping county neighbours Preston Athletic can do them a favour against the table-topping team from Rosewell.
Stuart Allan, head coach of Dunbar’s under-20s side, felt being in with a chance of being crowned league champions highlighted how far they had come.
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He said: “In the league, we have won 11 out of our last 13 games, drawing two, which is incredible form.
“We have lost one league game since October.
“We lost our first two games and were sitting third bottom and now we are in a position to, potentially, win the league on Friday.
“It is the stuff of fairytales being in a position to win the whole conference in our second season.
“It has been some turnaround and I say to the boys that it is all down to them.”
A home win tomorrow (Friday) for Dunbar would be enough to secure at least second spot.
Incredibly, depending on results, all three of the challengers could finish locked together on 57 points – in which case the title would go to Penicuik on goal difference.
Allan told Courier Sport “you could not write it” as they geared up for their final league game of the season.
Now, he is hoping that fate is on their side after an eventful few weeks.
He said: “I feel that the last five games that Whitehill have got are really tricky games. If they can go and win, then, fair enough, they have deserved to win the league.
“But things have happened this season – last-minute winners, clawing ourselves back into games – that maybe things are aligning for us.
“Our last seven points have been from 90 minutes onwards.
“It has been entertaining but it shows how our boys keep going to the final whistle.
“They have worked hard to earn those results.”
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