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The team goes into a crucial encounter with Arbroath fully aware of the significance of the ninety minutes at Balmoral Stadium.

Paul Hartley knows this one could have a significant bearing on how the rest of the season pans out, and he will be looking for a big showing from his players, but he points out that nothing will be decided this weekend, irrespective of how the match turns out:

“Everyone is talking about this one, I get that, it’s the game of the day in the Championship, but we just need to treat it as a normal match. The players need to be calm, level-headed, and not let the occasion get to them.”

“I’m looking for a strong, disciplined performance and we’re going to have to attack and defend well as a unit. I’m expecting a tough, physical encounter, but having watched Arbroath, they like to have a go, so it could also be an open, entertaining match.

“We’ll certainly be picking a team which we think is capable of taking the game to them and winning it.”

Morgyn Neill is one player who has benefitted from last month’s change in management, and he knows exactly what is required from the team:

“We need to bounce back after last Sunday and get back to what we did against Partick and for the first half at Dens. We all know our jobs, we’ve worked hard this week, and we’re ready; hopefully we’ll get the result we all want.”

“The main thing for us is to treat each game equally as important as the next. If you start looking down the line, trying to predict where you can pick up points, then you can tie yourself in knots. We just need to take care of business, and to be fully focused, starting against Arbroath.”

While there will inevitably be much spotlight on the fixtures like this one, against our nearest rivals, Morgyn believes we cannot afford to get blindsided by that:

“Every game is huge, and in this division it’s so difficult to predict what the results are going to be. No-one probably expected us to beat Partick Thistle, but you get those kind of scores every week.

“If we can get a bit of consistency, keep picking up points, we’ll be fine, and if you string together a couple of results, the teams above you can be looking over their shoulders. Right now though, the main thing is getting away from the two below us.”

The team that will finish the season is very different to the one which kicked it off last summer, and the big defender admits that has thrown up a few challenges:

“There has been big changes, and it’s not been easy for the manager having to bring so many in. We’ve had to get to know the new players, to gel with them, and there’s also been the players like myself, who hadn’t been playing, trying to get back to full match fitness.

“We’ve reached the stage where everybody has to be on their toes, we all need to be one hundred percent, not just in matches, but in training too. Everyone must be ready; everything has to be right, and it’s all geared up to getting the three points on a Saturday.”

Our home record has not been as impressive this season as it has traditionally been, perhaps inevitable given the step-up to another level, and that’s something Paul Hartley wants to see improved:

“That could make a massive difference for us. We’ve only got five home games left, and if we can turn Balmoral Stadium back into the fortress it has always been, and pick up as many points as we can, it could go a long way towards retaining our status in the Championship.”

Fraser Fyvie, Brody Paterson and Blair Yule remain on the sidelines, but the manager has an otherwise fully fit squad to choose from.

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