LONG-TERM signing targets could help fire Preston Athletic back to the top flight of the East of Scotland Football League (EoSFL).

The Pennypit men picked up their first win of the season on Saturday in fine style with a 5-1 demolition of Thornton Hibs.

Co-managers Paul Currie and John Daly have been busy working to refresh the squad during the summer and feel that they have now got the players in place to push for promotion.

Daly said: “This will be our squad now.

“We have got players that we have wanted for the last couple of years.

“We have got Lloyd Fiddler and Kris Renton, who we have been chasing for the last couple of years.

“Marc Forsyth left and came back and obviously we have signed Dean Ballantyne as well.

“I have always known him since he was a young kid and we have brought in real, real quality.”

 

 

Thirty-four-year-old Renton has played at the highest level, having signed for Norwich City when he was a teenager.

He has also played in the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) and the top tier of the EoSFL, and Daly felt that experience could benefit the club’s young squad.

He said: “Kris has been brilliant with the younger ones, having a word in their ears and saying don’t get annoyed.

“He has been a breath of fresh air and just taking them by the hand and giving them the experiences he has had.

“We have got a few young boys like Lewis Allan-Brown, Lewis Inglis, Cami Laidlaw and Jay Murray.

“They are all quite young and he has had an arm round them and speaking to them.

“He has been good for the young team.”

Preston Athletic bounced back from defeat to Kinnoull (pictured) with a 5-1 triumph at Thornton HibsPreston Athletic bounced back from defeat to Kinnoull (pictured) with a 5-1 triumph at Thornton Hibs (Image: Newsquest)

Saturday’s victory at Thornton Hibs came after Preston had lost a seven-goal thriller in the league to Kinnoull on the opening day.

Daly put the 4-3 loss down to individual errors and brilliance from the visiting goalkeeper.

The co-manager told Courier Sport: “Individual errors killed us.

“To be honest, we gifted them probably their four goals; they did not have to work hard for any of them.

“On another day, we take our chances.

“We went back and watched it and we had 18 shots on target – not even those off target – and if we take our chances, on another day, it is out of sight.

“It was individual errors that killed us and the boys know that.

“Their goalkeeper had some really, really good saves.

“Two or three were ‘how did he get to that?’.

“Their goalie should have the lottery on at night with the luck he had!”

 

 

And while 12 of the EoSFL First Division’s 16 teams were in action either on Tuesday or Wednesday, Preston were sidelined, with a home contest against Camelon Juniors this weekend awaiting them.

However, Daly was pleased that his team did not have a quickfire chance to build momentum after the win in Fife.

Speaking on Tuesday morning, he said: “We have got 11 injuries.

“I am delighted we are not playing tonight – absolutely buzzing!

“We have got training tonight and we have got a squad of 24.

“We have 13 coming tonight, so I am delighted we have not got a game tonight because we are down to the bare bones.”