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With the team currently enduring our worst run of the season, having taken just three points from the last seven matches, Paul Hartley is calling for a unified approach as the campaign moves into what will be a decisive phase.

With just a dozen games to go, and Cove now out of the top four, the manager knows there is no wriggle room; the side is going to have to recapture the form they showed from October to December when they embarked on a twelve match unbeaten run:

“We have all got to stand up and be counted. There’s a lot of quality in the squad, we’ve got good players, and we need to show it now. We’ve been on a bad run, there was a similar one at the start of the campaign and we came through it; that’s what we need to do again.

“You’ve got to take the criticism along the way when it’s not going so well, everybody knows that, and we’re all determined to finish the season on a high.

“It has been individual errors, but that’s football, and it can’t be a blame game; you win, draw or lose as a team. People get singled out because they make a bad mistake, but they know it, they don’t need told, and we all have to cut out the errors that have been made in recent weeks.

“What we need to do is to find a level of consistency, and to get back winning games again.”

That is also the focus for captain, Mitch Megginson, and having been over the course before, he has no doubts the dressing room will be strong enough, and good enough, to cope with the end of season pressure:

“We are confident we have the ability in the squad to turn things round. Obviously, there is frustration and disappointment, we had a good lead in third place and other teams have now caught us up, but they will have their bad results just like we have, and we are still in a very good place to reach the playoffs.

“We have to stay positive, to remain confident, and give everything we have to make sure that come the final game we are sitting in third or fourth.

“There’s certainly an edge, you go into these matches knowing you’ve got something to play for, and as players you have to embrace that.

“I’ve been involved in a few tight run-ins in the past, ever since I’ve been at Cove, and it doesn’t matter if you’re going for the title, the playoffs, whatever, it always seems to be the same.

“I do relish the challenge, I enjoy it, and it’s up to us to make sure we end up where we want to be at the end of the campaign.”

Injuries have been an issue for the manager. Fraser Fyvie has been out for months, although he is now back in contention having resumed full training, and various others have at times been playing through the pain barrier:

“I have to say team selection hasn’t been easy from time to time with injuries to key players, and that has been a worry again this week with a number of the boys on the treatment table. At this level, that does affect you, but it’s up to the ones who come in to prove they are worth a place in the team and deserve to stay there.

“We have to show we are ready to battle and fight, to show our quality, and we will need that against Annan. They are a good side, they’ve shown that in their results in recent weeks, and they will test us. No matter who you are, if you let performance levels drop at all, you don’t have the right attitude, then the opposition is going to hurt you.

“We are at Balmoral Stadium, and we have to make our home form count; that’s going to be a big thing for us between now and the end of the season. We have to win as many points as we can to cement ourselves in the top four.

“There is a crucial run coming up, some matches that will probably be pivotal, and we just have to focus on what we do, getting that right.”

With a few players carrying knocks, it will be a late team choice for the manager, with the injured being assessed up until the last possible moment.

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