JOHNSTONE Burgh manager Jamie McKim highlighted the importance of the club’s development side as the kids stepped up in his side’s 2-0 win over Wishaw on Saturday.

The Keanie Park side have been dealt a number of setbacks in recent weeks with players being forced to isolate and a series of injures. 

McKim himself was forced to sit out last weeks 6-1 victory at Carluke Rovers and remained without key players at the weekend.

Central defender Harry Pittaway was drafted into the starting 11 to partner Chris Stafford and the 18-year-olds impressed by keeping a clean sheet. 

The Burgh bench was also made up of mostly development players and McKim was delighted to see his side grind out a result. 

He told Gazette Sport: “It was a really good result, especially with what we’re going through at the minute and the number of players missing. The park was really difficult, Wishaw are a good side and it was really foggy when we turned up so it looked like it was just going to be an all round difficult day. 

“It wasn’t a day for pretty football, it was a day for grinding the result out and we done it. 

“We had two 18-year-olds at centre half and it shows the importance of the development team. 

“We went there with 10 fully fit first-team players, a couple on the bench, a
trialist, four development players so it’s a hard
time. 

“It shows the quality and the strength in depth of us going to these places, tough places to go, and picking up three points.”

Burgh took the lead after just thirteen minutes when Jamie Sidebotham’s deflected effort found it’s way into the net following a corner at a very foggy Beltane. 

The visitors were made to wait to put the game to bed, but that’s exactly what happened with just a minute remaining as Nathan Marriott raced through on goal to double his sides lead and McKim praised his side for getting through the last two games with maximum points.

He added: “It’s just brilliant we’ve managed to get through the last couple of weeks. 

“It could have been a really difficult start for us and we could have dropped a number of points, if we allowed these to become excuses. 

“We’ve managed just to keep it tight and battle through and get six points.”