ANDY FRAME is gutted to admit it ... but Thorniewood United look doomed in their battle to beat the drop from the Super First Division.

The Lanarkshire outfit made things extremely uncomfortable for league leaders Pollok on Wednesday night before suffering a 5-3 reverse but that defeat (their 14th from 22 league starts this season) leaves them firmly entrenched at the foot of the table, some five points adrift of second bottom Ardeer Thistle.

And though their remaining four fixtures are all against fellow basement strugglers - starting at home to Largs Thistle tomorrow afternoon - one-time Hibs and Partick Thistle midfielder Andy is refusing to talk up his side's survival hopes.

He insisted: "It goes without saying that we want to finish with a real flourish by taking full points from our run-in games and I'm utterly convinced the players will give it their best shot but even finishing on 28 points may not be enough.

"You never know what might happen but the stats in recent years show no team has ever stayed up with that meagre total and we have to accept that going down is looking inevitable at this stage.

"I'm no defeatist but there are times you have to accept what is staring you in the face and already my thoughts are turning to the rebuild needed during the close season to ready Thorniewood United for coming straight back up at the first time of asking.

"The team is in better shape than the one I inherited of just one signed player and the guys demonstrated with their second-half display against Pollok that they have a pride in pulling on the jersey.

"From 4-0 down at the interval and facing an embarrassing going over, they did to Pollok in the second 45 minutes what they did to us in the first and we had every right to walk of Newlandsfield with heads held high .... albeit with no points to show for our guts and ability.

"But that has maybe been the story of our season in so far as we have consistently failed to get the reward our performances have merited.

"Draws against Pollok and Rob Roy and a win against Cumbernauld United are indicative of what we can achieve but not a lot else has gone our way and that's why we are where we are in the table."

Turning to the Robertson Park clash with Largs, he continued: "They have given themselves a fighting chance of climbing clear of trouble with recent results and we have Bryan Slaven's side to meet again down at Barrfields as well as showdowns with Irvine Vics and Yoker so we'll certainly have a big say in whoever else is taking the tumble along with ourselves and Ardeer Thistle.

"But with the twists and turns unfolding with every passing week I wouldn't like to hazard a guess, however I do believe it harsh in the extreme for four teams to be relegated from a Division.

"And the situation becomes even more farcical when you look at the other end of the table and see the prospect of another three sides stepping up?

"In all my days and travels in football I have never come across a League where 50% of the teams could be changing year after year."

In other games, title challenging Rob Roy could put another nail in Ardeer's coffin when heading down to Ayrshire while Yoker's chances of scrambling to safety would be boosted by a win away to Rutherglen Glencairn.