Threave Rovers secured promotion in style on Saturday.
The Castle Douglas side needed just a point against West Park United to secure a place in next season’s West of Scotland League third division.
And they did so emphatically, beating the champions 3-0 to clinch promotion with a game to spare.
Boss Vinnie Parker said: “I think we should have beaten them the last time we played them but lost two cheap goals.
“So although we did need that point for promotion, Saturday was also about settling a score and showing we were a better team and we proved that.
“We’ve not got to play at home that often but any time we have, we’ve been great value for money to watch and Saturday was no different.
“That was the idea of going into the west. The clubhouse was really busy, people were in hospitality or in watching the football then came out to watch us, then the clubhouse was busy at night.
“Big demands were put on us at the start of the season – we came into the league to try to win but promotion was what the club demanded first and foremost.”
Dean Brotherston put Threave in front in the first half, pouncing after Dylan Cairnie’s shot had been saved.
Ross Thomson scored from Cairnie’s fine pass after the break before Connor Potts added the third to start the party and celebrate a successful first season for the Castle Douglas club after they swapped the South for the West.
And Parker doesn’t believe too many changes are needed if they are to push for promotion again next term.
He said: “I’d have no complaints if we finished third again. Top three is definitely the target but we want to win the league – if you’re not trying to do that there’s no point.
“We’re looking to add one or two players. Because there weren’t as many games in the league this season, it was hard to bleed in young boys.
“Because of what was at stake you needed to win week in, week out so it was hard to get young boys in.
“We’ve got quite a lot coming through and hopefully in pre-season we’ll see more coming in.
“We’ll look to add one or two senior players, the rest will be boys that are here for the next four or five years and hopefully developing.”
Before that, Threave have their final game against Harmony Row to prepare for, with a Cree Lodge Cup semi-final against Creetown coming later in the month.
Parker said: “We’ve the semi-final coming up and boys will be trying to get in the team.
“We’ll do a bit of freshening up. We’ve had a certain tactic in the last few weeks where we’re asking the likes of Tam Coles and Tom Smith to come on to see games out and they’ve come on in the last 10 or 15 minutes.
