Dunfermline boss Jim Jefferies believes the defeat to Stranraer should serve as a reminder that second place is not sewn up yet.
The Pars are heading for the promotion play-offs, but the weekend’s 3-1 defeat at Stair Park has reignited the battle for second spot, with third-placed Stranraer reducing the gap to eight points with a game in hand.
Final placings in the league are not just important for finances but also in terms of gaining advantage in the end-of-season play-offs games, so Jefferies is keen for his team to secure the runners-up spot as soon as possible.
He said: “I had a laugh with Stevie Aitken (Stranraer manager) after the game because I said ‘maybe we were planning to let you win so it makes things a bit more exciting!’.
“We never planned to do that, but it is a kick up the backside. We’ll know how tough it is will be when we go down there, because I think we’ve got a good advantage in second and everybody looks at the fourth place team.
“We’re 17 points in front of Ayr and 20 points in front of the fifth place team, so it’s going to be down to Stranraer and ourselves battling it out for second.
“But it looks like both of us will qualify for the play-offs and that will be the tie that we’ll have to play.
“So Saturday was a reminder of how tough it can be you can play well, but if you make daft mistakes they’ll punish you, so the next time we go down there we’ll be well aware of what they can do.
“The first thing is for us to get second place tied up. We’re in a great, great position, and although there are only nine games left we feel that over the next run of games we can virtually tie it up with a couple of good results.”
Stenhousemuir are the visitors to East End Park tomorrow, and the Warriors will surely visit Fife with a point to prove under new boss Scott Booth.
All three league games between the sides have ended in victories for the Pars, and all three have seen Jefferies’ men snatch dramatic stoppage time wins.
But the Pars boss admitted: “If it happens in the last minute that we beat them again then we’ll take it as long as we win.
“That would give them very little time to come back as it’s been proved.
“I think they’ve pushed themselves into the battle for fourth spot, so you’ve now got Brechin, Forfar, Ayr United and Stenhousemuir, and then the rest are all battling to stay away from the bottom of the league.
“Every game will be tough against teams we play from now on in, because this is the business end of the season. It’s not just for us but for the other teams as well because they will either want to avoid relegation or make the play-offs. It should make for some tense games, which you always get as the season wears on.”
Ahead of the Stenny game, midfielder Josh Falkingham is suffering from a virus and is doubtful for the game, while Jordan Moore remains out following his bout of illness. Striker Allan Smith could return after featuring for the Under-20s in midweek, although Jefferies added that forward Ryan Wallace is still nursing a groin injury and is unlikely to be risked.
“The danger with that type of injury is that he goes out, feels it, and sets himself back, so you are better to wait until it’s totally cleared up,” he concluded.