Clydebank boss Kieran McAnespie has spoken of the importance of finishing the season on a high as he looks ahead to his side’s remaining seven fixtures.

Sitting seventh in the West Region Premiership, the gaffer knows the Bankies won’t be challenging for the title nor will they be dragged into any dogfight at the bottom end of the table, but he won’t use that as an excuse to allow his side to take their foot off the gas.

Instead, McAnespie has demanded his side finish the season strongly with a focus firmly on a good pre-season and a big challenge next season.

“Finishing on a high and taking some momentum into next season is vital for us,” McAnespie told Post Sport. “Win seven out of seven and everyone at the club is flying. The boys would be buzzing to come back into pre-season.

“If you lose six out of the seven then heads start to wander toward Magaluf, Ibiza or wherever they go and the mindset in the dressing room changes and pre-season becomes a chore. A good winning habit and mentality will ensure that doesn’t happen.”

The first of Clydebank’s remaining fixtures takes place tonight at Lochburn Park as McAnespie’s side welcome Auchinleck Talbot.

Scottish Junior Cup finalists and currently enjoying a nine match winning run in the league, it doesn’t get much more daunting than Talbot at this level.

And while McAnespie acknowledges the threat the Bot will bring, he looks back to the first-half of their encounter earlier this season as well as a win over them last season as inspiration that they can upset the East Ayrshire club.

He said: “Auchinleck are flying at the moment. We went down there earlier in the season and absolutely battered them in the first-half. We passed them off the park but they did to us what they do to every other team in the league - they sniffed blood and took advantage of one mistake and ran away with it after that.

“If we take our chances in that we make it difficult for them but going in 0-0 at the break gives them a chance and they come out and do what they do best. They are the benchmark at junior level football. You can’t argue with what they’ve achieved over the last 10 years and that’s the challenge for all of us as managers, coaches and players - to conquer Talbot.

“We were one of the few teams to beat them last season. They went on to win the Scottish Junior Cup last season and are in the final again this year so they are the best team and know how to win games. They’re far superior to us but that’s what happens when you’ve got that kind of reputation and budget and they deserve all their success.

“It’s a big challenge but we’ll give it our best. We need to put up a fight and make sure we’re ready for it.”