With just seven games standing between Raith Rovers and a possible return to the SPL, manager John McGlynn has challenged his players to give it their all in the run-in.
While the Kirkcaldy club’s cushion at the top of the table would have been four instead of two had they made the most of home advantage against Ross County on Tuesday, Rovers’ fate is still very much in their own hands as they prepare to take on Falkirk in another massive fixture this weekend.
Whatever happens between now and the league’s climax on May 7, McGlynn hopes his charges will be able to look back on the final few weeks of the season with no regrets.
“I’ve said to the players, ‘Seven games to go, give it all you’ve got,’ ” he said.
“We’ve got to keep working our socks off, we’ve got a two-point lead and we need as much effort as possible.
“It’s very much up to us to continue winning if we possibly can and we cannot ask the players to do any more than work their socks off and give 100% and I think they did that on Tuesday.
“The fans were great as well, they responded to the fact the players gave that 100%, and although we only got one point, and from that point of view it’s disappointing, we’ve got to recognise that Ross County have really good players and it’s a surprise to me they are where they are in the table.”
Injuries are threatening to derail Raith’s title challenge and the club is awaiting news on latest injury victim Stephen Simmons, who was forced off early on Tuesday with an ankle injury.
Nevertheless, McGlynn is hopeful his side can weather the storm.
He said, “We’ve got Iain Williamson out for a few weeks and Laurie Ellis has a calf injury and we don’t work with a big squad.
“I’m not complaining about that, I respect that everyone in the first division is working with a very tight squad so I don’t want to mump and moan about that, but we’re kind of running out of options a wee bit.
“We could do with less injuries but hopefully Laurie will be back for the weekend.”
Results in midweek largely went in Falkirk’s favour as the Bairns are now 12 points behind Raith with three games in hand-making Saturday’s clash at the Falkirk Stadium all the more important.