Dunfermline boss Jim McIntyre is convinced his Pars have enough quality to avoid relegation from the SPL despite suffering from an injury crisis.
The East End Park men are languishing bottom of the table, albeit joint on points with Hibs, and face a daunting trip to face league leaders Celtic at Parkhead tonight.
The Hoops are flying high, of course, with their name all but engraved on the championship trophy following Rangers’ dive into administration.
The home side know they can go 20 points ahead of the troubled Ibrox men with victory this evening and McIntyre’s challenge is made even tougher by being without a host of first-choice players.
Nicky Phinn’s nightmare season continued after the midfielder tore his hamstring in training.
Jordan McMillan is a major doubt after sustaining an ankle injury in Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Inverness Caley Thistle.
In addition to that Mark Kerr (ankle), Iain Turner (back), Steven Bell (knee) and Andrew Barrowman (calf) all remain sidelined in the Pars’ treatment room.
But McIntyre attempted to focus on those who were available to take on the all-conquering Celts.
”I don’t want to be sitting talking about injuries as I still think we have enough good players here to continue to produce football results,” said McIntyre.
”Obviously when you lose key players at key times it isn’t ideal and it can affect things, but there is still enough quality here to get results.
”We have to believe we can keep narrowing the gap and we have got back on level terms, albeit on goal difference.
”Nicky’s injury came as a hammer blow. He has injured his hamstring again and it’s a bad tear. He is having a difficult time just now but as always we will nurse him back and hopefully he will get a break come the end of the season.”
Celtic’s 5-0 away success at Hibernian last Sunday stretched their impressive unbeaten run to 18 matches and, having been impressed with Neil Lennon’s side throughout this season, McIntyre is anticipating a tough night.
”Celtic are on a fabulous run and they are playing a lot of free-flowing attacking football,” he said. ”As well as that they also work very hard off the ball that’s something that all good teams do.
“I think we can be encouraged by our last visit to Celtic Park, when we lost the game 2-1. Celtic were a different side back then though and weren’t playing with the confidence they are now, but I was proud of my players for battling to the very end.
”It is crucial that we don’t give anything away and that if Celtic are going to get a goal then they will have to earn it.”
Photo by Lynne Cameron/PA Archive