Brechin boss Ray McKinnon has refused to use last week’s marathon Scottish Cup tie with Forfar as an excuse for his side’s dismal league defeat on Saturday at Stranraer.
City played extra-time at Station Park before ultimately losing the tie in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out.
Despite those exertions, the Glebe gaffer believes his players should still have travelled to Stranraer capable of securing a result.
Instead, they slumped to a 3-0 defeat which combined with results elsewhere, saw Brechin slump to second bottom of the table.
Now, as McKinnon prepares to face an Airdrie side tonight managed by his former Dundee United team-mate Gary Bollan, he has demanded his players cut out the mistakes that are costing them dear as they look to take maximum points.
He said: “I do not believe the cup tie played a big part in what happened at Stranraer at all.
“We started well and had opportunities to take the lead but then there was a horrendous blunder between our centre-half and our goalkeeper which gifted them a goal.
“We were still in the game but then Darren Petrie was shown a straight red card which gave us a mountain to climb.
“They caught us on the counter-attack for the second and then they got the third late on. We are making too many basic errors which is the story of our season so far.
“So I can’t blame a cup hangover for the defeat. The Airdrie game is now a must-win one for us and we have to get back on track.
“Three of our next four games are at home and should give us a chance to get back with the chasing pack.
“Airdrie may be bottom of the table but I know Gary well and he will have them fired up so we will really have to improve on Saturday’s performance.”
McKinnon has no injury worries but Petrie is suspended after his dismissal on Saturday.
Airdrie’s last win was over Brechin under Jimmy Boyle more than two months ago, and defeat tonight would leave the Diamonds six points adrift of ninth place.
Boss Gary Bollan is under no doubts over the importance of this meeting.
“This is a huge game for Airdrie. A win takes us close to Brechin and gives us a real lift. To win it we have to be a lot stronger than we were on Saturday against East Fife,” said the former Dundee United defender, who enjoyed a spell with City in 2005-06. We went ahead in that game but never built on it.”
Bollan added: “The players know that we are in a difficult position and need to change that. They also know that we can win at Brechin and start that happening.”
On-loan Aberdeen youngster Danny Rogers will make his second appearance in goal with his recruitment summing up an unsettled period at the club as he is their sixth shot-stopper of the season after Colin Stewart, Andrew Duncan, Scott Gallagher, Tony Bullock and Jonny Grier.
Former St Johnstone, Blackpool and Ayr United striker Keigan Parker, who is currently with Shettleston Juniors, is set for his second game of his trial period.
However, Chris O’Neill, Grant Drummond and Grant Evans all remain out through injury.