News

The team kicks-off the final quarter of the season with a trip to Ochilview to take on cinch Championship leaders, Queen’s Park. Owen Coyle’s men are currently two points ahead of Dundee at the top, and with us involved in an equally tight contest at the other end of the table, it looks likely to be a vital encounter for both.

Queen’s have won two of the three previous meetings this campaign, but overall, the head-to-head between the sides is pretty even, and having shown some good signs in recent weeks, Paul Hartley is hoping his team can get it right at both ends of the pitch:

“We’re in the home straight now and we all know the challenge that lies ahead. Taking on the league leaders, it couldn’t be tougher, but we have to be positive. We’ve spoken with the players, they all know their roles and responsibilities, and they have to concentrate on that.”

“From here on in, it’ll be back to basics, we’ll be keeping it simple. At times, when results aren’t going your way, there can be a temptation to overcomplicate things. We’ll be focusing on doing the right thing and cutting out the mistakes.

“We didn’t have a great third quarter, and we’re clearly going to have to improve on that, but if we can build on some encouraging performances of late, and be more clinical, more ruthless, then we can get the points we’re going to need.”

The manager has opted for an attacking-line up in recent weeks, prepared to take risks in the final third as he chases the wins we will require if we are to hold off the challenge from the teams below us.

He has also restored Iain Vigurs to the heart of the midfield, and the veteran is relishing being involved again after spending the majority of the season kicking his heels on the sidelines:

“It’s only being back out there that I’ve realised how much I was missing it. I’ve played a lot of football in my career, and you do begin to wonder how much more you’ll get, but I’ve definitely got that buzz again, and slowly but surely the match fitness is coming back.

“It was tough watching on from the dugout, you feel helpless knowing you can’t do anything to help the team. You become like a fan, and suffer all the frustrations they do, so it’s much better being in the thick of the action.”

Iain believes the team is not far away from putting it all together, and if they can find that something extra in both penalty areas, it will go a long way towards preserving our Championship status:

“We’ve been playing a lot of good football, had plenty dominant play, but we do need to pick it up in both eighteen-yard boxes, and if we can find that final piece of the jigsaw, it will have a big bearing on what happens over the next two months.”

Much will also depend on how Hamilton and Arbroath fare during that period, and Iain admits that will also be on his mind, but only after our games are finished:

“On match day, your concentration has to be one hundred percent, you focus on what you’re doing, but afterwards, of course you want to know how the other teams have got on, that’s only human nature. You have to be aware of your situation.”

“Luckily, I’ve not been involved in many relegation scraps, and it is going to be intense, but we know it’s still very much in our own hands, we’ve got something to fight for, and that adds something to your play; the boys need to buzz off that.

“There’s always pressure in football, but that has never bothered me. I love having that competitive edge, and we all need to embrace that and make it work in our favour.”

Long-term absentees Fraser Fyvie and Brody Paterson will again be missing, and Blair Yule’s heel injury will keep him side-lined. Paul Hartley is hopeful Connor Scully will make it, but Mitch Megginson faces a late fitness test.

The game kicks-off at 7.45pm on Friday, 10th March. Tickets can be bought HERE

Article Copyright © 2023. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and to www.coverangersfc.com

Excellent Display Ends In Unlucky Defeat »