The Dunfermline strikers had a night to forget at Stirling on Tuesday but one of them, Liam Buchanan, is confident that lightning won’t strike twice within five days when the two teams meet again at East End Park.
The Pars laid siege to their opponents’ penalty box in midweek, with their only reward being a solitary goal and point.
Anything other than a win today would be a huge blow to their promotion hopes, and the former Partick Thistle man knows that whichever attackers are selected will have to up their ratio of goals per chances.
Buchanan, who came on for the last 17 minutes at Forthbank, said, “We had a lot of possession but we couldn’t find that second goal and we were punished.
“I don’t think we can be too unhappy with our overall performance.
“We’ve got to take the positives out of itwe kept the ball well and we created a lot of chances.”
He added, “On another day we could have scored four or five quite comfortably. Hopefully that day will be tomorrow.
“I’m sure the goals will start to come again.
“At this stage of the season it’s wins we need, not draws. When we’re one ahead we need to go two and three up.”
Buchanan said, “When the scoreline stays at 1-0, it puts added pressure on us. We can’t accept one goal will do us.”
Buchanan, who signed in January, dismissed the idea that they are suffering from title run-in jittersan accusation that could be levelled at all three promotion contenders over the last few weeks.
He said, “I don’t think it’s a case of the lads being nervous. It doesn’t show in training or games as far as I can see.
“I don’t think you’ll get another game like Tuesday night’s, when we create so many chances and don’t take them.”
He added, “I’m sure that if we create as many chances tomorrow as we did then, we’ll put more of them away.
“This is another massive match for us and we know exactly how hard Stirling will make it for us. But we need the win to start us on a run.”
Manager Jim McIntyre may have Kevin Rutkiewicz and Andy Dowie available, but the former has the better chance of being involved.
Graham Bayne will be in the squad for the third and final time as a trialist.
McIntyre said, “The end product was missing for us on Tuesday but it was as well as we’ve played for a long time in terms of passing and movement.
“Credit to Stirlingthey battled hard and I’m sure they’ll do the same again.”
He added, “We know that if we keep playing like that we won’t have a repeat of the number of chances we missed and that Lady Luck won’t keep going against us.”
Gordon Smith and Michael Doyle are suspended for Stirling, but Scott Buist and Ross Forsyth return after serving bans.