Dunfermline have led League One most of the way this season but a recently relentless Falkirk have left hints that it may go to the wire.
One defeat in 25 matches for James McPake side – coming from behind a number of times along the way – and no obvious signs of letting up means you could be forgiven for thinking there was confidence, hubris even, throughout the stands.
Not so when it comes to your own football team and the stakes are this high.
One supporter recently joked that they would not be confident of promotion even if the club were 10 points clear with three games remaining.
The size of the gap between the bitter rivals has oscillated over the season and is at five points going into a huge week for both clubs.
On Saturday Dunfermline welcome Alloa as John McGlynn’s side host Peterhead before the rivalry is ramped up to the max when they meet on Tuesday night.
Courier Sport got the views of Pars podcast That’s Never 10 Yards ahead of a crunch week.
Biggest week of the season
The only team to have a five-point gap evaporate after 25 matches since the SFL/SPL merger a decade ago was the Raith Rovers side of 2017/18, helmed by now Falkirk boss John McGlynn.
In Dunfermline’s two clashes against the league’s title challengers this outing, the Pars lead four points to the Bairns’ one, aiding the gap between the sides who contest the division’s only game in hand on Tuesday.
Before navigating Falkirk, Dunfermline have the task of facing Clackmannanshire’s finest this weekend.
Brian Rice said Falkirk was his club as recently as a fortnight ago, so the Alloa Athletic manager would relish the opportunity to deflate the East End Park crowd for a second time in seven months.
The first was denying the Fifers progression in the League Cup with a penalty shootout victory, in what is the only occasion the Wasps have stung the Pars this season.
The scars may have healed from Athletic’s last stay in League One but remain visible.
It took three attempts until escape in 2016, suffering the indignity of being held below the Championship surface by neighbours Cowdenbeath, a disastrous outing.
McPake has inherited a squad he assembled upon the foundations of a dozen individuals that suffered relegation under the management of John Hughes and Peter Grant.
Those recent memories with many of these players who ultimately failed last time out are at the forefront of the minds of the EEP faithful.
One supporter recently joked that they would not be confident of promotion even if the club were 10 points clear with three games remaining.
That fragility may explain some of the apprehension when the team plays at home – a strange thing to say when undefeated there since the game which sent Dunfermline down.
The Fifers have drawn half of their dozen league matches, coming from behind to draw on all four occasions.
Our first-half struggles at times could make the next couple of games excruciatingly nervous watching.
Dunfermline v Falkirk Preview: What previous meetings tell us and McPake v McGlynn head to head analysed https://t.co/7k2v6jRTju pic.twitter.com/2q4O3YlU5E
— The Courier Sport (@thecouriersport) December 30, 2022
It is the biggest week of the season for Dunfermline.
McPake will not want to be left red-faced, and the support will hope they are not feeling as blue as McGlynn’s cap come 9.30pm on Tuesday if they have allowed the Bairns the chance to snatch the title away from them.
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