Montrose may be on a three-game winning run and harbour hopes of a play-off but there is only one thing on boss Stewart Petrie’s mind today – survival.
The Gable Endies will guarantee their League Two status if they can win or draw against Elgin City, regardless of how bottom club Cowdenbeath fare at Edinburgh City.
It may sound strange for a side that sits in fifth place to be looking down the way but it is exactly this cautious, step-by-step approach that has been working so well for Petrie and his players.
They head north today knowing that they have not lost on their travels since the previous trip to Borough Briggs way back on December 3.
That is an away record of which they can be proud but canny Petrie wasn’t keen to highlight that just in case it came to a halt.
Instead, he was putting all his attention on making sure Montrose stay in the division for next season.
Petrie said: “We are nearly there.
“One more result and we will have secured our league status.
“That has always been our aim for this season and nothing has changed.
“We know it will be difficult against Elgin because they have been tough opponents for us all season.
“So this is going to be hard for us but we know what is at stake.
“Our away record is good but I don’t want to spook it.
“All I’ll say is the lads have done well.
“Indeed, the players have been fantastic for me and I have tried to get them to play with a bit of freedom.
“I have urged them to express themselves whenever possible while still working hard to get the ball back when they lose it.
“A key thing has been enjoyment because they have been a joy to work with.
“We are still a work in progress and definitely not the finished article so we need to keep going until the end of the season and see where we end up.”