Any lingering hopes Dunfermline have of challenging for the League One title could rest on the outcome of today’s trip to leaders Stranraer and it’s something boss John Potter all too well.
In truth though, thoughts of lifting silverware at the end of the season are probably furthest from Pars fans’ minds at the moment with securing one of the three promotion play-off spots the Fife club’s primary aim in the wake of recent defeats.
Two 1-0 losses to promotion rivals, away to Forfar on Saturday and then at home to Brechin on Tuesday, have seen the Pars slip to fifth spot in the division and six points away from the play-offs.
But Potter is convinced his team can climb the table in the coming weeks and knows what kind of marker it would be lay down if the Pars manage to win at Stair Park this afternoon.
“We can’t dwell on the last two games,” he stressed.
“It’s as simple as that.
“That’s the thing about football.
“I told the players that they can sit and feel sorry for themselves if they want, the season peters out and we don’t get anywhere.
“That can happen.
“But it’s not in my makeup and it’s not in Neil McCann’s makeup and I don’t think it’s in the players’ makeup, so we’ve got to go again.
“We know where we are.
“It’s going to be difficult but we’ve got to keep going and see where we are at the end of the season.”
With a visit to Brechin and the chance to recoup some points lying in wait on Tuesday night, Potter will set his Dunfermline side up to take maximum points from their journey down the A77 today.
“We have to win games of football,” he continued.
“If we’re going to do anything this season we have to win games of football.
“We’re not doing that at the moment and it’s disappointing but we want to climb this league.
“It will be a tough game at Stranraer, we know that, but we’ve got to dust ourselves down and get ready to go again.”
The visitors will again be without forward Ryan Wallace, while winger Andy Stirling has been allowed to join Stirling Albion on loan until the end of the season.
On that loan move, Potter added: “I couldn’t guarantee him games here and he wants to go and play every week.
“They have offered that to him so I am prepared to let him go out on loan.
“It has maybe not worked out the way we wanted it to for him and hopefully he we go and do well for Stirling Albion.”