TWO-GOAL Conor Kelly reckons Sauchie’s thrashing of Jeanfield Swifts was payback for the defeat they suffered in the reverse fixture earlier this season.

The striker played a crucial role as the rampant hosts netted six at Beechwood Park.

And he revealed the squad were on a high in the wake of their biggest win of the season.

Kelly told Advertiser Sport: “We’re really pleased with the result, especially having been beaten by them earlier in the season. We were due that win because we embarrassed ourselves against them in the game at their place. It was a different story, and from the word go we played well. We are buzzing with the result.

“We needed the first goal. It was one of those games where the conditions and the park were going to play a big part, and whoever scored first was always going to give themselves a really good chance to go on and win the game. Once we went in front, there was no looking back from our point of view.

“Both teams were right in it at the start but after we scored there was only one team in it.

“That was a six-pointer. That might be a cliché but they were in a similar position to us before the game, but while we’ve opened up a bit of a gap we’ve also put them in a bad position.”

Having endured a stop-start first half of the season, Kelly has now scored five goals in his last three games, and his brace against Jeanfield took his tally to eleven for the campaign.

He said: “I’m playing with confidence just now. I feel like I’m going to score every time I step onto the park and I’m feeling relaxed when I get chances to do that. The second goal probably showed that. I’m feeling a lot fitter than I was. I’ve got that edge to my game which just wasn’t there at the start of the season. It’s maybe down to confidence.

“I’m grateful to the manager for sticking by me and to the rest of the boys for continuing to support me. I’ve worked hard this season and I’m getting my rewards for it now.”

Sauchie are undefeated on league duty since November, and Kelly believes they can start looking up the table rather than down if they continue their stunning form against Forfar West End on Saturday.

He added: “Next week’s game up at Forfar is even bigger. If we can win that then that would stand us in really good stead for the rest of the season. We need a win there, and if we get it then we can really start looking up.

“Our league form has been superb. In the last few games we’ve beaten two of the top four, and we’re also beating the teams round about us. We are all working for each other and there’s a real closeness in the squad. That’s really helped us on this run.”