SAUCHIE striker Ross Crawford enjoyed his chance to play alongside manager Iain Diack on Saturday, but insisted it was up to the gaffer to decide if it would become a permanent feature.

The injury-ravaged Reds ended a six-game winless run by edging out Tynecastle 1-0 in a scrappy game at Beechwood Park thanks to Crawford's second half header.

The 20-year-old partnered Diack in attack for the first hour of the match before Stevie Dolan replaced the gaffer early in the second half.

Since signing in October, Crawford has spent most of his time at the club as a lone striker, but the former Falkirk youngster was happy to get the chance to improve his game by feeding off of his manager.

He told Advertiser Sport: "He was good and always talking to me and helping me. It was good to see him play and to try and learn from him as well.

"It was good to learn from him and to take wee things off of his game that I can take into my own going forward.

"It's up to him whether it will become a regular thing, but I definitely enjoyed playing with him."

Though it was far from their best performance of the season, Sauchie's makeshift squad showed plenty of character to hold off the spirited fight of the capital side.

But Crawford feels the Reds should have extended their lead and enjoyed a more comfortable afternoon.

"It was a scrappy game," he added. "We had a few chances first half and we could have taken them to make it a bit easier for ourselves.

"With the boys that we had and only having 12 players I thought we did really well to see it out in the end.

"After the last few results, we knew we had to go out and get a win. We should have won by more in the end, but it is pleasing to get the result.

"With the gaffer playing, it shows how down to the bare bones we are. But we still have the players to go out and win games and we showed that on Saturday."

The result keeps Sauchie 7th in the table, a point behind both Crossgate Primrose and Dalkeith Thistle with a game in hand.

Diack's side next travel to Eyemouth United before welcoming Hill of Beath Hawthorn in the Challenge Cup and Crawford is keen to see the side use Saturday's win to kick start their climb back up the table.

He said: "We can hopefully go there and carry on our performance from the weekend into that game and then into the cup game after that.

"Then it's all about finishing strongly and finishing as high up the table as we can.

"We've still got teams to play around us and with everyone coming back we can push up the table."