Barry Robson has urged Raith Rovers to ignore Falkirk’s title aspirations and focus solely on their own play-off goals.
The Bairns are seeking to get themselves over the line in the title race and confirm their promotion back to the Premiership for the first time in 15 years.
They have been favourites for some time and have occupied a position at the summit that Raith would have been eyeing themselves at the start of the season.
Instead, following two managerial changes, the Stark’s Park men are desperately trying to catch Partick Thistle in fourth place to sneak into the play-offs.
They would be happy with rivals Dunfermline doing them a favour against the Jags this afternoon.
But Robson knows Rovers must also be single-minded in their own pursuit of points.
“Our focus is on us,” Robson told Courier Sport. “We can’t control the rest of Falkirk’s season, it’s nothing to do with us.
“We’ve got our own aims, our own ambitions that we need to try and achieve.
“I know how difficult a game it’s going to be. But it’s a game where we can go and cause Falkirk some problems and it’s one we’re really looking forward to.
Robson: Raith need to ‘be at our best’
“John McGlynn [the Falkirk manager] has done a terrific job.
“But we’ve got our own things that we want to achieve. And we want to just be at our best and give ourselves every opportunity.”
Raith passed up a chance to draw level with Partick last weekend when, with Thistle losing to Hamilton, the Kirkcaldy side could only draw 1-1 at home to Airdrie.
They needed to come from behind for the point but rued a failure to capitalise more on 15 shots on goal – three times what their visitors managed.
With Callum Smith, Jack Hamilton and Finlay Pollock all shorn from Robson’s attacking options, it is perhaps no surprise Rovers are struggling in attack.
But, with five clean sheets from their last seven unbeaten matches, the Stark’s Park boss is eager to see his side stand up to their Falkirk test – at both ends of the pitch.
“We need to take our chances,” added Robson, who has reported no new injury worries. “But it’s the hardest thing to do on a football pitch, is score goals.
“We’ve got players that can do that, we’ve got a strong attacking threat when they’re performing well.
“We’re creating chances, that’s the most important thing for me. The way we play, we will create chances.
“If I wasn’t doing that I’d be worried, but we have created plenty of chances.”
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