GARY Locke will be taking a few days away from football to reflect on his success in saving Cowdenbeath from the drop and then speak to the club about the future.

The manager was delighted to see his team handle Saturday’s League 2 Pyramid Play-off final well and get the vital win to save the 136 year-old club’s status.

The team, which had previously missed six successive penalties, scored five beauties in the shoot-out after Saturday’s second leg finished level at 1-1 after extra-time.

Really the Blue Brazil should have had the game won in the first 15 minutes when they scored, hit the bar and then missed a couple of easy chances.

However, when they had to the young Cowden side kept their nerve. Said the manager: “I felt we started the game really well and scored a fine goal and could have had at least one more.

“However, they came more into it and late on we had to work hard to make sure they did not build on their equaliser.

“A shoot-out is always a bit of a lottery but our five penalty takers could not have hit five more sweetly struck penalties and it showed great character.

“I am so pleased for the chairman, who asked me to come in and try to keep us in the league, the board and the fans who backed us superbly on Saturday, and of course the players who have given me everything since I arrived.”

Fraser Mullen, who scored a cracking goal on Saturday to put Cowden ahead, added: “It was a great feeling to stay in the league and to be truthful the way we played in the closing ten games had given us the confidence to take on the play-off final.

“The manager really changed things for us when he arrived and we started to always look capable of winning games and I was delighted to get my goal and then score the first penalty.

“Hopefully the manager will stay and we can look forward to being up the other end of the table next season.”

Looking ahead Mr Locke added: “I have really enjoyed my spell here, it was a tough ten games but we closed the seven point gap to take things through to the last day of the season and in the play-off final competed well with a really good side in East Kilbride.

“I will have a few days away and then speak to the chairman and look at what the future holds.

“It could be that the board will want me to stay and if they ask me I will certainly look carefully at that.”