DIVISION TWO PREVIEWS

AFTER last weekend’s win at Ayr, RAITH ROVERS will welcome Peterhead to Stark’s Park this afternoon hoping home advantage will help them to top spot in the table.

Rovers’ 3-0 triumph at Somerset Park represented their sixth away victory of the campaign and put them level with leaders Ross County on both points and goal difference, with only goals scored preventing John McGlynn’s men from hitting the summit.

Of Raith’s eight league games at Stark’s Park so far, however, the fact that half of them have been won has been slightly overshadowed by three defeats in front of their own fans, with the only draw coming against Brechin a fortnight ago.

With that in mind, McGlynn is confident that his side can perform well in the three massive home games they have coming up in the next two weeks, starting with a win against Peterhead today.

“It’s not as if we can’t win at home, but we seem to keep slipping up and dropping points; we really have to be winning these games,” the Raith boss said.

“Sometimes we set targets but at this stage the games come so quickly that you really have to take each game as it comes.

“It’s a natural reaction to try and find out how the other teams have got on at 4.45pm but we’ve got to realise we can’t influence these games and we’ve got to concentrate on our own actions.”

Marco Pelosi and Chris Silvestro remain sidelined for Raith, who are due to face third-placed Alloa on December 29 and leaders Ross County on January 5, both at home, with trips to meet Berwick on December 26 and Cowdenbeath on January 2 also scheduled.

COWDENBEATH’s home second division match against Queen’s Park was called off yesterday afternoon because of a frozen pitch. A new date for the game has still to be arranged.

ALLOA’s all-weather pitch ensures their game against Berwick goes ahead. But even though Berwick are bottom of the table, Wasps manager Alan Maitland issued a warning to his players when he said, “Berwick have had three good results lately and we have to work hard to earn the right to win the game.”

John Grant is suspended while Ross Clark misses out and Joe Andrews is struggling, although Scott Buist returns.

Berwick are without Jordan Smith and Chris McGroarty but striker Iain Diack is back.

Plummeting temperatures and hard frost overnight has put BRECHIN’s home fixture with Ross County today in doubt.

A pitch inspection at 9am will decide whether the game goes ahead.

Cancellation would be a huge disappointment to the City men, buoyed by a 4-2 win over Airdrie last week with manager Michael O’Neill keen to build on the win. He remains confident they can yet climb the table.

Having put one full-time side to the sword, with the visit of Ross County to the Glebe they were relishing the opportunity to do the same again.

They have a score to settle with the league leaders following an earlier clash when they felt, not for the first time, the treatment meted out by the referee was harsh.

A single-goal defeat up north earlier in the season was made harder to take by a decision that denied O’Neill’s side a goal-scoring opportunity and subsequently earned the manager a touchline ban.

“Ross County are going well in this division,” said O’Neill, “and you can’t underestimate the effect being full-time can have on a side at this level.

“It gives you much better preparation time and much longer periods to recover.

“But, to be honest, I felt we more than matched Airdrie throughout, and especially in the second half when we got stronger as the game went on.

“I have been telling our players for weeks that there is too much quality to be where we are in this division and they have to start proving it.

“All credit to them, they certainly were well worth the three points. The quality of our goals was excellent, too.

“We will approach this game in exactly the same manner. The lads know we need a run of results and they also know we need to improve our record at home.

“The lift they got from last Saturday will hopefully provide us with a platform to build upon, not only for this Saturday but for the rest of the season.”

Long-term absentee Chris Geddes is still unavailable and Martin Johnston and Neil Janczyk are both doubtful due to illness.