Forfar manager Dick Campbell reckons his team are more than capable of clawing their way back into the promotion play-off picture after running Rangers close on Monday night.
Campbell insists he had no complaints about the outcome at Station Park as Rangers ran out winners in the end, but the Loons boss believes the home side were far from disgraced after it took the league leaders 75 minutes to finally break theirstubborn resistance.
The result means Forfar remain seven points adrift of the fourth and final play-off spot but Campbell is convinced the level of performance his men put up will see them eat into that deficit.
“We’ve got to be realistic here,” Campbell said.
“It was Forfar, a part-time club, against Rangers, a full-time club, and it’s taken until 15 minutes to the end, and it’s taken a great goal with a header.
“The second goal was even better. But there was a contentious decision with Dale Hilson going through on the goalkeeper, we’ve had a free-kick which has gone close, and they’ve had a world class save from the goalie.
“So there’s a lot of pluses for us to take.”
Forfar, who still have a game in hand on fourth-placed Ayr, travel to face East Fife in the league on Saturday and then have a home match against Airdrieonians the following week, while they also have a Scottish Cup tie at home to St Johnstone to look forward to on February 8.
Meanwhile, Gers goalkeeper Steve Simonsen says the players are focused only on their promotion drive despite off-field troubles.
The former Dundee goalkeeper, who made his first appearance of the season against the Loons, said: “The team is solely focused on getting results on the pitch and we showed that at Forfar.
“What goes on in the boardroom, outside of it or anywhere else in the club has nothing to do with us. We are paid to go out there and perform and to get this football club back to where it belongs.”