Mensing hopes it's third time lucky

Apr 16 2008 By Andy McGilvray

SIMON MENSING hopes it’s third time lucky on Saturday as he bids to seal promotion from the First Division with Hamilton — and he’s determined not to blow it this time.

The German-born midfielder was with a St Johnstone side pipped to the post on the final day by Gretna last season and also a runner-up with Clyde in 2003/04.

Mensing (25), hopes for a crack at the top-flight with Accies and knows a victory against Clyde on Saturday will seal the First Division championship.

He said: “Every game in the First Division is tough, but the boys have been professional enough and have done the task in hand so far so hopefully we can give it our best shot for one more week.

“Clyde will come here looking to prove a point but at the same time we’re going into the game looking to win the league. They’re going into the game looking for survival, basically, so it’s going to be tough.

“Ideally, we wanted a team that’s sort of in the middle of the table and not really doing anything, and that’s not the case, but it’s down to us. If we play to our maximum then it’s there for us.

“If we win the game we’re champions, and that’s all you can ask for come the end of the season.

“It’s in our hands, we’re happy with that situation, and it’s down to us.”

Mensing added: “Hopefully, it will be third time lucky for me but I don’t know if it’s possible for me to be more determined this time around; when you’re challenging you always want to do well, but hopefully it does happen this time.”

Having had a brief taste of the big time in an ill-fated stint at Motherwell, Mensing can’t wait for another gcrack at the SPL.

He said: “Getting to the SPL with Hamilton would be amazing. I’ve been playing in the First Division for five years or so and I’ve finished second a couple of times.

“I finished second with St Johnstone last season, and that does hurt you.

“The management and players here want to be playing SPL football. We think we’re good enough and it would mean the world to me and the gaffer, Billy Reid.

“There’s a very high standard at Hamilton. It’s a relatively small squad and we deserve credit for doing so well.

“I think the majority of boys in there, if not all of them, are capable of playing SPL football.

“That’s what we want to be doing come the end of the season, and hopefully it will happen for us on Saturday.”

Mensing was delighted to play a major part in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Livingston and grabbed his fifth Accies goal since signing on loan in December followed by a full contract a month later.

He said: “I’m enjoying it at Hamilton. The main thing for me was to get as many games as possible and if I could chip in with a few goals along the way that would be great.

“The main thing on Saturday was to get the three points but from a personal point of view I was glad to get my goal.

“I was pleased with my performance, although I tired towards the end, but I think we all did.

“We put a lot into the first half and had some good chances, and I thought we thoroughly deserved to take full points.”