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CENTRAL defender Ryan Strachan has warned we will have to earn the right to extend our run of home league wins when Montrose visit Balmoral Stadium tomorrow.

The Gable Endies arrive here on League One business bidding to become the first side to spoil our perfect record at home since stepping up to the SPFL.

We were victorious in all 14 of the League Two matches played at Balmoral Stadium last term and have also come out on top in the three League One ties played here so far this season.

“We are desperate to keep our run of home wins going but accept it’s something we are going to have to work for,” said Ryan.

“Montrose will make it very tough for us.

“Like ourselves, Montrose have had a pretty similar squad for the last two to three seasons.

“That will definitely help them as far as team spirit goes and you can be sure they will come here with a game plan designed to make it difficult for us to play the way we like to at Balmoral.

“The onus will be on us to handle that and do what is needed to get all three points, but we know that will be far from an easy task.”

We go into the game on the back of a 1-1 draw away to full-time Airdrieonians last weekend, although Ryan admitted he wasn’t totally pleased with the outcome down in Lanarkshire.

He said: “We played very well in the first half, we dominated possession and made good use of the ball and they really struggled to cope with our shape.

“We looked a very good side and how we performed forced them to make a change at the interval.

“From then on it was a very fast, open, game but we had chances and felt we had let one go.

“You would expect us to be happy to have drawn away from home against one of the sides expected to compete at the top end of our league.

“But we are never pleased when we drop points, it’s just the way things have always been at Cove.

“We know it’s unlikely we will be able to win every game in this division, but that doesn’t mean that shouldn’t be our aim.

“It’s an indication of the confidence the manager has instilled in us and the winning mentality that has been built up at Cove, over a number of years.

“It’s not an ego thing, it’s just the way we are and the way you have to be if you want to be a part of what the manager is trying to build at Cove.

“We simply don’t accept second best, even when we know every game is going to present a huge challenge to us.”

Tomorrow’s game will be shown live on CRFC TV, with commentary by former BBC Scotland broadcaster Scott Davie. Coverage begins at 2:15pm.

We will also be publishing our free on-line matchday programme ‘unCOVEred’ tomorrow.

The contents include an exclusive interview with our Director of Football John Sheran, who speaks about his glory days as a Montrose player. It also features the regular columns written by manager Paul Hartley and captain Mitch Megginson.

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