MARK SHARP revealed he was on cloud nine after scoring his first Sauchie goal in Wednesday’s victory over Dalkeith at Beechwood Park.

The full-back headed home his side’s third to seal all three points and set the Juniors up perfectly for their next two East Premier encounters with Bathgate and Forfar West End.

And he reckons the club are in a great position now to claim the league title and make an immediate return to the Super League.

Sharp told Advertiser Sport: “The first goal has been a long time coming. To be honest I don’t know what I was doing that far up the park.

"The result is the most important thing, of course, but I am buzzing to have gotten on the scoresheet.

“The three points will be massive for us, and it takes us a little bit closer to the title. We are so close now and if we can build on this over the next few weeks we will get over the line.

"The next couple of league games against Bathgate and Forfar are absolutely massive.

"The Forfar game is the big one because they are one of the two teams who are still in with a chance of winning the title, and they beat us earlier in the season so the boys will be determined to get revenge for that.”

Before those league games, however, Sauchie face Kelty Hearts in the East of Scotland Cup, and although on paper the Super League high-flyers pose a daunting obstacle, Sharp says his side will be full of belief ahead of the quarter-final clash.

He said: “We want to keep the league form going, but playing against one of the top teams in the Super League will be a good marker of where we are just now.

"It’s the kind of game you always want to play in. They are one of the top teams in the country at Junior level and are having a great season, but so are we and in a one-off cup game, anything can happen.

"If we can carry the performance from Wednesday into that game, we have a good chance of getting ourselves into a semi-final.”

Sharp has cemented his place in Fraser Duncan’s starting lineup in recent weeks, and admitted he is glad to have nailed down a starting berth after spending the season vying with Stuart McFarlane and Gary McCulloch for the right-back spot.

He added: “I had to wait a while for my chance but now I feel like I have managed to put in a few good performances since I came into the team.

"I’m starting to find a bit of consistency now. It’s always good to get a run of games in the side, and hopefully I’ve done enough to keep my place.”