While shaking off the disappointment of a Scottish Cup exit will be hard to do, Dunfermline boss Jim Jefferies insists his players have no time to feel sorry for themselves.
Defeat to Stranraer in midweek saw them miss out on a potentially lucrative fifth round tie against Dundee United in February, but the Pars are still right in the thick of things at the top of League One as they chase promotion back to the Championship.
Jefferies maintains the league has always been the main priority at East End Park, and therefore the focus has immediately turned to today’s game at Airdrieonians.
Two convincing wins in the last two league fixtures after Jefferies made a raft of changes to his line-up – have moved the Pars up to second in the table, and the Pars manager is keen to continue building some momentum.
“Every game we play now is vital but I do see wee signs that we’re turning the corner,” he said.
“The changes have helped because I think the players realised that it was the right thing to do.
“That doesn’t mean to say that the boys who are in now can relax because these are good players they’ve replaced and they will be determined to get back.
“Look at Andy Geggan, he was left out, played in a 20s match and scored a hat-trick.
“He couldn’t buy a goal but gets three from the middle of the park, play him down at Stranraer and he scores twice. Unfortunately it was one at each end!
“But that’s what happens.
“So it’s good competition for places and they are all in it together.
“I have to make changes because people will come in and they have to keep their form up and keep their attitude right because they will get back in.
“If you are down feeling sorry for yourself it makes it harder to get back in.
“We had a wee spell where maybe the confidence was knocked a wee bit because we were dominating games but not scoring enough goals.
“The boys who came in didn’t have that same confidence dip because they were bursting to get playing, so I think it was the right thing to do.”
Today marks exactly a year since the Pars exited administration, and everyone associated with the club knows how important promotion to the Championship could be in continuing progress on and off the park.
Jefferies will be looking for a much improved performance from their Scottish Cup showing on Tuesday night, but is confident his team can bounce back.
“We had a good result on Saturday against Ayr so the momentum is there for us now over the last couple of games so the only way we’re going to make up for going out of the cup in midweek is to go and win this league,” he concluded.
Striker Gozie Ugwu has been struggling with a calf knock and will be assessed, while defender Jonathan Page was expected to return to the squad after his loan deal at East Fife concluded yesterday.