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The stage is set for a huge match on Saturday evening as we welcome rivals Stenhousemuir to Balmoral Stadium with the sides separated only by goal difference.

It was little surprise that BBC Alba chose the fixture as one of the channel’s live TV picks; the game will almost certainly have a massive bearing on both teams hopes for a successful conclusion to the campaign.

The visitors have been on an impressive run, but have picked up a single point from their last two, and our dramatic draw at Montrose kept us just ahead of them. Paul Hartley believes that comeback might prove to be an important moment come the end of the season:

“You never know, and it felt like a big point! You can’t always play well, but we have courage in the group, you can see they’re fighting for each other, and I love to see that in my team.

“If I’m honest, I didn’t think we were going to get back in the game on Saturday, just two minutes to go, but in the end we could have won it, and it showed me the players have real belief in themselves and each other.”

The manager knows we are likely to be pushed all the way this weekend:

“Stenhousemuir are up there on merit, they’ve found a level of consistency this year and have always been in the mix, battling away with us and Arbroath for top spot.

“I think Gary Naysmith has done a wonderful job after coming up last season, they’ve got a lot of experience in the group, good front players, and you know you are facing a difficult opponent.”

Last time out, the team put on a dominant display to romp to a 4-0 win at Ochilview, that superb result following a 3-0 loss at Balmoral at the start of December:

“That was probably our worst performance of the season, albeit we were very under strength that night, but the run has been very good since, the players have done so well to come back from that, showing a real hunger, desire, spirit.”

Paul and the more experienced players have dealt with this kind of scenario before; he believes that counts for something, and says he knows exactly what is required:

“It is now all about mentality as much as anything.

“You need to find a way to dig a result out, and it might not come down to pretty football, it’s about having the right people who are prepared to fight to the death, and we certainly have that, alongside the spirit and real quality in key areas.

“I expected all along it would be this kind of end to the season, and we are ready for it.”

Supporters are reminded the game is a 5.30pm kick-off. Tickets can be purchased HERE

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