Dunfermline manager John Potter yesterday admitted that his side cannot afford too many more slip-ups if they are to gain promotion via the play-offs this term.
The Pars are six points behind fourth spot in League One and have just seven games left to rack up as many points as they can in the hope that it will be enough to sneak into the promotion mix come the end of the season.
And with all six of the teams above them still to play after tomorrow’s trip to Stenhousemuir, Potter acknowledged that draws and defeats are simply not good enough at this stage when the stakes are so high.
“Wins are the only things that help us in trying to climb the league,” he commented.
“I was disappointed with the performance against Stirling on Saturday, considering what we had had the week before, and it wasn’t good enough.
“We still had opportunities to win the game but performance-wise it wasn’t good enough. It has to be better.
“Results elsewhere could have gone worse for us but, as I’ve said before, it’s only going to matter if we win the games.
“If we don’t win then we’re not going to go anywhere.
“There are too many teams above us and some of them are going to win every week.
“It’s up to us to win our games and if other teams are playing each other then we can maybe catch teams up.
“It’s wins for us and we’ve probably not got any more room for error.
“Looking at in the last couple of weeks we could maybe have drawn a couple of games over the piece.
“But now it’s going to have to be pretty much win after win to get us into the play-off positions.
“It’s not over yet.
“We still feel it can be done, we still feel we can go on a run, but it has to happen now.”
Potter is first to admit it has been a difficult introduction to management for him since taking over at East End Park, but he maintains it has been an enjoyable transition.
“I’ve loved it,” he stressed.
“It’s obviously been difficult with results, but you’ve got to get on with it and keep your emotions in check.
“You’re the one that’s got to come in and pick the pieces up on the Sunday or Monday morning, whenever you’re in, to try and get the team going again.
“I think I’m learning that as I go on.
“It’s been a difficult start but I’m enjoying the job and doing everything I can to turn it around.
“I’m working hard, as are the players – I’ve never ever faulted their effort or their attitude to work. “It’s just not been happening for us on match days and that’s the most important thing – and that’s the thing we need to change.
“We know we’re not a Celtic or a Rangers, but there are expectations at this club because of where we’ve been to where we’re at just now.
“We’re full-time and I think everyone expects us to be higher up in Scottish football. But we’re not, we are where we are.
“So there are expectations, but it’s a fantastic club to play for, it’s a great stadium, it’s a good group of players and you get well looked after from the club.
“The players have got to be doing better, it’s as simple as that.
“We’ve all got to be doing better, the staff included.
“Where we are is not good enough.
“There are expectations but, for me, that’s good because it’s a good club to be at and we have to do better.”
The Pars head to take on Stenhousemuir tomorrow with a fully-fit squad with the exception of Ryan Wallace, whose season looks to be over after a further setback stemming from his previous pelvic injury.
Potter confirmed: “Ryan is out for the foreseeable future.
“He’s had a wee reaction with a similar injury to the one he had.
“So he’s to take a wee rest period again and we’ll see where we are.
“For him, it’s day to day, week to week.
“It’s frustrating for him and for us, but we just have to see where we are, there’s not much else we can do.
“It’s looking like he’ll be out for the rest of the season and even if we managed to get him back it would be difficult because of his general fitness.
“He can’t do much exercise with the injury he’s got, so it’s been difficult.
“But we’ll see where we are.
“It’s a week by week thing with him, so we’ll see where we are and if he can get back and train and play then great.”