Like his manager, Jason Thomson will not say Raith are definitely going to finish fourth in the Championship this season but the Rovers skipper admits the promotion play-off place is now theirs to lose after a great run of recent results.
The Kirkcaldy side have won four out of their last five matches, including games against their nearest contenders Queen of the South, St Mirren and Morton.
They have now opened up a seven-point gap on fifth-placed Doonhamers to put themselves in the driving seat but like his boss Ray McKinnon, Thomson was keen to put the brakes on any talk of finishing fourth with nine games still to play, starting this afternoon at Alloa.
The full-back said: “That’s the last four out of five we have won.
“We got the draw at Falkirk as well with the only defeat coming at Ibrox.
“Looking at the teams we have beaten recently, Queen of the South, St Mirren and Morton, they were the three teams around us at the time and we have managed to open up a seven-point gap.
“Queens have a game in hand so we are going into another run of matches where we have to play everyone once.
“It is so important that we keep winning and performing to keep us in fourth place.
“I know the manager isn’t going to say we are going to finish fourth and neither am I but we have put ourselves in a strong position.
“Looking at it now, it is ours to lose.
“At this stage it is all about points and churning out results. Performances maybe come second just now which is possibly not ideal but you would rather have that than play well and not get results.
“I think fourth place is there to be had and hopefully we will be there.
“We have six away games and three home matches left with the ones at Stark’s against the three top sides.
“So it will not be an easy run-in.
“Hopefully, we will get a result on Saturday and then we can get a full week’s training before the Hibs game the following week.”
Alloa are currently rooted to the foot of the Championship table, 11 points adrift of second bottom Livingston and the Wasps look doomed to automatic relegation.
However, Thomson insisted Raith will be taking nothing for granted against Jack Ross’s side.
He added: “We don’t want to undo all our good work and go to Alloa and be beaten.
“That’s not to say we should just go there and win. It will be a hard game and we have to fight for every ball like we did on Tuesday against Queens.
“Alloa are still fighting and are not down yet so they will be determined to stay up.”
Thomson recently signed a two-year contract extension and he was delighted to pledge his future to a club he thinks is on the up.
He added: “I saw the comments made by the manager the other week about Falkirk who have put a team together in the last year or so and are reaping the benefits now.
“I think that is what we are trying to do at the club.
“The manager is getting boys signed up now including myself.
“It is a two-year deal and I am delighted about it.
“I am 28 now and two-year deals are hard to get in the Championship. The manager and I got it sorted within a week and it was signed so it is all good.
“Hopefully we will be pushing for promotions and playing in the Premiership eventually.”