With their early-part-of-the-year troubles hopefully behind them, March will be a massive month for Dundee United as they try to haul themselves back in contention for automatic promotion.
And going into what could prove the most crucial period of the campaign, the Tangerines can do their cause a lot of good by finishing February with what would be a huge three points when in-form Morton visit this weekend.
Since losing out narrowly last time they visited Tannadice back in September, old foe from his Dundee days Jim Duffy has seen the Ton beaten just twice in 18 league outings.
Last Saturday, his team missed out on the chance to leapfrog United into second place when they had to battle back from 2-1 down to draw at home against Falkirk.
But he brings them to the street where he plied his trade as player and manager for so long knowing a win could see them do that on Saturday — though a Falkirk victory over Dumbarton coupled with a Morton success at Tannadice would almost certainly see the Bairns move up to second.
That combination of results would relegate United to fourth in the table.
For Ray McKinnon’s men that has to be unthinkable but it does illustrate how big a weekend this one is.
And March is going to be just as important.
After an enforced weekend off because of scheduled opponents Ayr United’s involvement in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals, what will be the Tangerines’ biggest game of the season so far falls under the Friday night lights on March 10.
Division leaders Hibs visit and, whatever happens against Morton, it’s likely, almost to the point of certainty, extending continued hope of securing automatic promotion in May will rest on taking three points from that one.
Failure would leave it requiring a dramatic late-season collapse by the Hibees for United to have any chance of catching them.
It should be said Hibs find themselves in the Championship for a third season because of such a collapse that saw them drop down from the top flight and poor second-half-of-the-campaign form in the last two years that’s left them facing the play-offs.
That the same will happen again this time round cannot be taken for granted and the truth is, under boss Neil Lennon, such a slump looks highly unlikely.
So, if United are to get back close to them it will be by winning games regularly and March gives them that chance.
After that big Friday night date they will travel to St Mirren the next midweek. That might be seen by the sponsors as a Challenge Cup Final rehearsal but the truth is for both teams that Wednesday night date will be much more important.
The Buddies are desperate for points to get off the bottom of the Championship while, for their visitors, it will be another chance to make up ground on the leaders.
Three days after that clash there’s a trip to Raith Rovers. Under new boss John Hughes they are likely to be a considerably different side to the one that surrendered so tamely at Tannadice at the beginning of this month.
Once that’s been taken care of, there will be a break from league duty for a couple of games, first for a bit of nostalgia and a chance to honour fine club servant Sean Dillon when Hearts visit for his testimonial on March 21.
Then it will be that second meeting of the month with St Mirren in the Irn-Bru Cup Final. As stated, even the prospect of picking up silverware on that date cannot make the final more important than the earlier league clash of the sides.
But, hopefully, it will provide the opportunity to maintain a momentum that’s been built up and continue form that can lead to the all-important return to the top flight.
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