EAST Fife player-manager GaryNaysmith is asking his men to once more show that they enjoy the role of underdogs when they take the field at Arbroath.
The Bayview men will look to end their host’s perfect start by winning at Gayfield and, having seen his men raise their performance in games they were expected to struggle in, Naysmith is confident that his side can get a result.
He said: “Arbroath are doing very well and they are the favourites to win the game on the back of the run that they have been on.
“I am OK with that as our players showed against Forfar on the opening day of the season when we knocked them out of the Petrofac Training Cup that we can rise to the occasion in games where we are not expected to win.”
“We then went to Stranraer the following week and gave them a real fright. Even against Dunfermline last week in the Fife Cup, we showed that we can compete very well against sides that are expected to beat us and I am sure that will be the same at Gayfield.”
The Fifers got their league season going with a 3-1 win over East Stirling a fortnight ago and Naysmith said: “That was an important win as we also showed that we had another side to our game as, opposite to this game, we handled a game where we were expected to win.
“It was also important as, if we win this one, we have a bit of momentum behind us and are starting to establishing ourselves in this league.”
Naysmith has included himself in the East Fife squad after injury, with his options in defence being increased after the addition of Dunfermline centre-back Jonathan Page on loan.
Arbroath boss Allan Moore, meanwhile, insists that winning the August League Two manager of the month award will not be the “kiss of death” to his side’s unbeaten start to the season.
The Gayfield gaffer picked up the accolade earlier this week after the Red Lichties won all four of their opening games to top the table before the international break.
Now, he is looking for his players to take up where they left off.
Moore said: “Some people regard the manager of the month award as a kiss of death but I don’t see it that way.
“We will now look to continue our good start after the international break.
“To be honest, I thought it was a stupid decision to have the break as the Scotland game doesn’t affect League One or Two.”
He added: “I watched them (East Fife)last week in a Fife Cup tie with Dunfermline and, although they rested a few, they do look as if they have a goal threat but I have told the players to just concentrate on us.
“I am not being big-headed but we shouldn’t worry about who we are playing.
“I am always confident we will score goals and we seem to have solved our defensive problems so this is a game we are really looking forward to especially at home.”