Neilston manager Andy Whiteford admits time is running out for his team to beat the drop after suffering a 1-0 defeat at home to Maybole at the weekend.

The result left the Farmer’s Boys nine points adrift of safety in the First Division of the West of Scotland Football League.

Neilston had chances against their Ayrshire opponents but were undone when a shot by Jake Graham was deflected into the net in the second half.

Whiteford reckons big moments in both penalty areas went against his players but he is refusing to write off their chances of survival just yet.

He told Barrhead Sport: “It was a big chance lost on Saturday, with Maybole one of the sides around us in the league table, so we were looking to claw back some points and get within touching distance of them.

"It’s disappointing we didn’t do that.

“It seems to be the same story every week where we don’t take our chances. I don’t think anybody could have argued had we been two or three up at half-time.

“I felt comfortable for most of the game but we lost a scrappy goal where the boy has hit a shot from 30 yards and it has taken a deflection and flew over the goalkeeper, which was quite unfortunate.

“Ultimately, it’s another defeat and it’s starting to look like we are running out of games to try and climb up the table.

“Saturday was a massive chance to put ourselves right back in it and give ourselves a fighting chance and I think now it’s going to be really tough but you never know in this league.

“If we can look ourselves in the mirror at the end of the season and say we gave it everything we’ve got but it wasn’t quite enough, then fine, but we’ll keep fighting.”

Neilston face another side who currently occupy one of the three spots in the relegation zone this weekend when they travel to Cambuslang Rangers.

Three points for Whiteford’s troops would lift them off the bottom of the table, which he believes could be the catalyst needed to kick-start a winning run.

He added: “I think we just need a scrappy goal to win a game to get us going.

“We’ll go there with every confidence we can get a result and hopefully it can be a springboard.”

Kick-off at Somervell Park on Saturday is at 2pm.