Raith Rovers are eyeing a near-perfect record against Dunfermline this weekend – but Ian Murray knows their Fife derby rivals will be desperate to avoid a miserable clean sweep.
Following a Viaplay Cup draw back in July, Raith have gone on to clock up four straight wins against their neighbours.
A fifth this weekend would see the Kirkcaldy outfit remain unbeaten across the campaign and enjoy the bragging rights at least until next term.
In fact, Dunfermline have only won one of the last 12 meetings of the teams stretching back three years.
It is a record Murray, whose side are four points adrift of Dundee United at the top of the Championship after losing to Arbroath last Friday, is determined to maintain.
However, he accepts there has been little in the match-ups this term and he expects nothing different at Stark’s Park on Saturday.
He said: “The boys are looking forward to it, like any derby game, at any stage of the season.
“It’s our sixth meeting this season, because of the cups, and we’ve done fairly well in them, so we want to keep that going.
“But it’s like any derby game, anything can happen.
Ian Murray: ‘Prepare for the initial battle’
“In this league, generally, anything can happen. So, when you add in an extra bit with the derby and Dunfermline trying to push towards the play-off positions, it should make it a good game.
“You need to be up for it. I think in any derby the team that is prepared for that initial battle normally ends up winning more than they lose.
“They’re not always great games. I don’t think they’ve been particularly great games for us this season, in terms of performances.
“Probably the two cup games were our best performances.
“But, when you look at the league games in particular, one-goal wins for us, they could easily have been level games or on another day a Dunfermline win.”
He added: “We’ve got the opportunity to go six-games undefeated against Dunfermline and the opportunity to end the derby games of the season with a home game and a win.
“But it will be a tough ask and a tough game, and we’re ready for it.
“I certainly know Dunfermline won’t be coming into the game with any fear, that’s for sure.
“They’ll see it as the opportunity to try to avenge the last five games, and I get that.
Confident Raith
“But, on the flip side, six games undefeated for us would be a decent record.
“We’re confident we can do that. But we also know that if we drop our standards, or go into it with an expectation we just have to turn up and win the game, then we can easily lose.”
After the derby, Raith travel to face third-placed Partick Thistle and then Queen’s Park before the final meeting of the season with Dundee United.
It could be a pivotal spell in the title race, but Murray admits he is also still looking for the security of a greater lead over Thistle, which already stands at 12 points.
The Rovers boss, who expects to be without defender Keith Watson due to a groin injury, added: “From here on in, the games don’t become any easier.
“We’ve got a really good gap to third place and a good gap to fourth place.
“And the reality is, in the next two or three games, potentially, if things go our way, we could cement our play-off position and that would be the first goal ticked off.
“The next three games could swing it into a big advantage for Dundee United or keep it exactly how it is as well.
Potential
“We’ll wait and see. It’s got the potential for a lot of things.
“If we win on Saturday and go to Firhill and win the game then we know we are probably not going to finish outside the top two.
“It wouldn’t be impossible but the law of averages suggest we’ll have enough in the tank to be in the top two and then we can look above us.
“But, if we don’t win the games and United do, then at that point we’ll be seven games to go and it would be a very, very tough ask.”
