Dunfermline Athletic should ignore the Scottish League 1 table, according to their manager.
It is top versus bottom this weekend at Balmoor but league positions did count for much the last time the sides met.
That game finished 2-2 at East End Park, as did the Pars’ most recent league match against Clyde.
🎥 Watch all the goals from yesterday's 2-2 draw with Clyde.
Full Highlights Later! 🏁 pic.twitter.com/x7Y5hA9WP2
— Dunfermline Athletic (@officialdafc) November 13, 2022
Peterhead, like Clyde, have undergone a recent managerial change after the SPFL’s longest-serving manager Jim McInally left the club.
His assistant David Nicholls has been appointed interim boss.
Dunfermline have conceded the fewest goals on average across the four SPFL divisions – Peterhead the most.
The Dunfermline manager said his side should not pay attention to such distractions.
Positive performance
“It’s a tough game,” said McPake.
“Last February I took a Premiership team up [Dundee] there and got through on the night, 3-0 I think it finished and it was a tough, tough game.
“Now we’re going up as Dunfermline, one defeat in 15, and all the talk of being top of the league and whatnot, but it’s just this game, it’s tough again.
“The sole focus is on going up there and getting a positive performance.
“I think I’m quite consistent when I say this: we do block it out, and we need to block it out.
“We need to focus solely on Peterhead and forget everything else that’s happened.
“Forget who is playing who.
“Just forget everything and focus on Peterhead because it’s going to be a tough, tough game at a tough place to go.”
On the grass
Incredibly this will be Dunfermline’s first league match away from East End Park to be played on grass.
Each of the eight other clubs has an artificial surface.
The only other match this season that took place on the grass was the Premier Sport Cup match away to Ross County.
“I’ve been on record before saying that if I had a choice, I’d prefer it to be grass.
“Some [artificial surfaces] are poor or poorer than certain ones.
“For me [the ball] runs true, it’s never waterlogged.
“It sometimes gets a wee bit hard if it’s frosty. Some of them are crap, the ball bounces a bit differently.
“But I’m delighted to be back on grass after saying all that!”
Team news
Dunfermline will continue to be without Kevin O’Hara, Lewis McCann and Paul Allan.
McPake has a fully fit squad to choose from otherwise after Tuesday’s win in the SPFL Trust Trophy.
“Sam Fisher had a wee bit of stiffness in his knee but he’s fine,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dunfermline’s match with Kelty Hearts at New Central Park on Christmas Eve has been moved to a 1pm kick-off.
Fixture Update 🚨
Our match against Kelty Hearts on Dec 24th will now kick off at 1pm. pic.twitter.com/Kwrg5CcS7M
— Dunfermline Athletic (@officialdafc) November 17, 2022
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