Cowdenbeath manager Jimmy Nicholl is delighted that his side go into their Championship match with Rangers with confidence restored after their 6-0 mauling from Falkirk in their last league outing.
Central Park hosts the Glasgow giants in a league game for the first time since April 1971 and the Blue Brazil have a spring in their step after defeating Forfar 3-1 in the William Hill Scottish Cup on Saturday at Station Park.
Nicholl challenged his players to put the Falkirk battering behind them, so he was delighted his men did just that at the weekend.
“A few people had looked at the Forfar tie and thought we would come unstuck after the Falkirk defeat,” he explained.
“I stressed to the players in the build up to the game that they had done really well in the three games before Falkirk where we picked up seven points.
“I knew that if got back to playing like that then we would do okay. That is what happened and we came through the tie.
“We now have a smile back on our faces although our next game is a really tough one.
“Forfar was a challenge however we are now facing a different level of challenge against Rangers.”
Cowdenbeath’s home ground is set for a sell-out which will please the club’s board after they felt they lost out when the game was moved from the original planned date of October 11 because of Rangers players being involved in international call-ups.
Rangers go into the game high in confidence, but the fact that a home win over the Glasgow club has not been seen since April 1930 has not affected Nicholl’s enthusiasm for the game.
He added: “It will be a terrific occasion for everyone at our club and one of the games that we used as motivation with the players to stay in the Championship last season.”
“We were very down after the 6-0 defeat from Falkirk but we spent last week lifting the boys and they responded well.
“They went out and scored three great goals against a strong Forfar side and we will now face Rangers with more confidence and belief than we had a week ago.
“We are by no means detached at the bottom of the table and if we get something from this game we come off the bottom.
“Getting something from the game is our plan.”
On-loan striker Callum Gallagher will miss out as the 20-year-old is not allowed to face his parent club and also unavailable for selection are the injured trio of John Armstrong, Kenny Adamson and Sammy Stewart.