Whites win battle on field, but another battle remains

After months and months of facing the dreaded drop few gave the club any chance of avoiding relegation.

However, a remarkable late surge was enough in the end and boss Tommy Wright was able to enjoy a rare Saturday afternoon when the result did not really matter.

"We knew on Friday night we were safe and it was a great feeling," said Wright. "When I took over I said I believed the team could stay up and I never changed my mind despite taking a few blows. I think at times the players did not believe they could do it, but John Cunningham and I still kept focus on our target which was 36 points and all credit to everyone at the club for playing their part in a brilliant comeback.

"Everyone was saying the club had a great team on paper and they should not be rooted at the bottom of the table. But the pressure was building week after week after a poor start. They lost Curtis Allen who hit 27 goals last season and that was a huge gap to fill. Others too departed.

"However, I was confident they could do it when I took the job. The biggest blow came off the field when it was revealed the extent of the financial debt and that is still a battle to be won.

"Perhaps those fears of closure helped gel us together as a stronger unit because the players responded brilliantly.

"We had five defeats on the bounce before we got going and then once we got our wind we began to put pressure on those above us.

"I always felt if we could get close by the split it would put so much pressure on those above us. There has been a lot of hard work going on both on and off the field. The club has gained a licence for senior status for next season and although we are still in some sort of limbo with the sale of the ground pending all I can do is thank everyone for their magnificent efforts."

The ground is up for sale in a bid to cover the massive debt, but as yet no firm bids have been received and until that is sorted the fight for survival continues.

Distillery finish off by hosting Coleraine on Saturday.