Dunfermline boss Jim Jefferies hopes his side can take some momentum into tonight’s League Cup clash at home to Montrose.
The Pars came from behind to beat Airdrie United on Saturday and Jefferies believes that will stand them in good stead going into what could be a tricky tie this evening.
”Everyone is talking about Partick in the First Division because they have put a run of wins together and we need to do the same,” he said.
”Montrose will come here and look to make things difficult but we turned things around against Airdrie by taking what we practise into the game and we’ll go into this game on a high. If we do that again we can get another boost of a win.
”Against Airdrie, you let a team that has been working hard get a goal in front and it makes your job harder. But I have to say the response from the players was great.
”You look for a response and for the criticism they got for the first half, they deserve praise because they were brave, they got on the ball and started using it.”
The Pars were hoping to get clearance for new signing Callum Morris to make his East End Park debut.
The 22-year-old defender, who stands 6ft 3in tall, was previously on Newcastle’s books and later moved to Spanish Fourth Division side Jerez as part of the Glenn Hoddle Football Academy.
The Pars will also welcome back winger Paul Willis into the squad after the club accepted his explanation for a photo which had appeared to show him and midfielder Ryan Thomson making fun of a homeless woman in Edinburgh.
Willis returned to training on Monday after apologising.
”I thought I had seen it all in my time in football,” Jefferies added. ”But it is a warning to players when you dabble with Facebook and Twitter, you risk your profile as a football player.
”We have told the players that they have to be extremely careful and watch what you do because things can be picked up in the wrong way, as has happened in this case.”
While Willis returns, Thomson is still facing a separate investigation into an alleged assault on a Glasgow taxi driver and will not be available for selection.
Meanwhile, Montrose will head to East End Park in good heart despite playing out a goal-less draw with visitors Annan at the weekend and having yet to win a league game.
Manager Stuart Garden said: ”We have maybe not won yet but I cannot fault the players for the performance they put in against Annan. They did everything but score.
”It is not like us not to score so we have accepted that it was just a game that we were never going to score in so we will head to Dunfermline in good spirits.
”We have played Cowdenbeath and Raith Rovers from the First Division already this season and know that there is a gap between the leagues.
”However, we defeated Cowdenbeath and gave Raith a fright so we will go to East End Park looking forward to it. If we play at our very best we are in with a chance if they are off colour for any reason.”
The Gable Endies will have Sandy Wood in goal as recent signing David Crawford is cup-tied after playing for Stirling Albion in the First Round and on-loan Dundee striker Leighton McIntosh also misses out after playing for the Dark Blues at Peterhead.
Midfielder Jamie Winter absent after recent groin surgery.