ARDROSSAN Accies head coach Andrew Duncan says his side will be aiming for a second straight league title - and promotion - this season.

The Memorial Field side were invincible last season, winning each of their games en route to claiming the West Region First Division title.

And their hot streak has continued in their new league, after they were subsequently promoted to the National League Division Four.

They picked up where they left off by defeating Stewarty 59-12 in their opening fixture, and followed the win up on Saturday, September 14, with a 37-18 away victory at fellow newly promoted outfit Linlithgow.

(Image: Douglas Torrance)

Duncan said: “We had Stewarty the first week and they were a wee bit weaker than they’d hoped with guys missing but you can only play what’s in front of you.

“It was a strong start for us and it was nice to start at home as well.

“We were away to Linlithgow there which was a bit of an unknown to us with them coming up like us last year but from the East.

“They were a team that were really confident, they hadn’t lost at home in two-and-a-half years which made the result a bit sweeter.”

(Image: Douglas Torrance)

And Duncan is certainly hoping for more of the same, though he knows nothing is a given.

He added: “We target to win every game. There is obviously the unknown factor of teams we haven’t played in a long time.

“Teams can change as well, just look at us – we went from a team that was nearly relegated to West Division Two to winning the league the next year, a lot can change in a short period of time.

“The aim, ultimately, is to win the league – but it’s one week at a time, it’s been a good start but we’re not getting ahead of ourselves.”

(Image: Douglas Torrance)

He admits there may be some bumps on the road in the higher division, though hopes his side will be learning quickly as these challenges come their way.

The head coach also expects a target to be on their back as their unbeaten league run continues.

Duncan added: “It’s definitely going to be a harder year, I’ve no doubt about it. Because of the season we had last year there will be an element of us being a scalp.

“Teams will want to be the first to beat us and bring that extra 10 per cent.

“It’s just important that we can play our own game and leave it up to other teams to stop us – and not worrying about what other teams may do to us.

“We will just play our game and may the best team win.”

(Image: Douglas Torrance)

Duncan hopes defeat in their opening competitive fixture this season, a shield clash against higher division side and North Ayrshire rivals Garnock, can prove to be a learning curve.

He said: “The cup game against Garnock a couple of weeks ago was one I felt we should have won but we didn’t.

“I felt we lost our way a bit because we haven’t been put in that position too much lately.

“If we managed to keep our head a wee bit we could have seen that game out, but we didn’t, it’s probably just that lack of experience of being in these tighter situations.

“Hopefully that’s something we’ve learned now and we can take it into the season when there’s inevitably going to be some tighter games – we can take that into in an prevail.”