Dunfermline Athletic boss John Potter has challenged his players to focus on the future as they aim to get their stuttering promotion push back on track.
Just one point from a possible nine in recent weeks has seen the Pars slip off the pace in League One and fall eight points behind league leaders Stranraer.
However, heading into the second half of a season that could ultimately mean the difference between full-time and part-time football next term, Potter is looking for his side to go on a run that can get them right back in the thick of things starting at Stirling Albion this afternoon.
“When I was a player I would never look behind at what’s happened previously,” Potter told Courier Sport.
“I always try to look forward, to who you can try and catch, and winning games of football.
“So we’ve just got to try and concentrate on ourselves and start winning games.
“Once we do that, and do our own jobs, then we can start looking at what’s happening above.
“Everybody is starting to beat everybody and the league is all tightening up, apart from Stranraer who are out in front.
“So it will be difficult, but the way we’ve played in the last couple of weeks have been good enough.
“The results haven’t though and we’ve told the players that we need to start putting the ball in the back of the net and winning games of football.
“If we do what we have been doing, and add a wee bit of extra in terms of scoring goals, then I’m confident.”
The Pars have been made to rue missed opportunities in several games this season and it was a similar story last weekend as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Peterhead.
They will be hopeful of getting back to winning ways against a Stirling side rooted to the bottom of the table, but Potter is wary of the threat today’s hosts pose.
He added: “We’re confident but it will be difficult.
“I think our second game against them was one of their first under their new manager and we only won the game with 10 minutes to go.
“It was a tight game and they’ve improved since then and their results have improved.
“I went to watch them myself two weeks and they were beaten by Morton, but they should have won the game.
“They should have been 4-1 or 5-1 up and out of sight, and they are very good going forward.
“They are creative and have good players like Sammy Cunningham in the middle of the park who is very dangerous, so it will be difficult.
“I think they have turned a corner and I think that’s the big thing about our league at the moment.
“Teams that weren’t doing so well at the start of the season, teams where you would think you had a good chance of winning, it’s not happening any more.”
Ryan Williamson remains out injured and Andy Geggan is suspended after his red card seven days ago, although new signing Jim Paterson could be in contention for a starting role.