Dunfermline boss Jim Jefferies fully expects the First Division title race to be a nip and tuck affair right through to the business end of the season.
The Pars put their recent financial worries to one side at the weekend to send Partick Thistle crashing out of the Scottish Cup.
However, it is back to league duty tomorrow for Jefferies’ men and a tricky-looking trip to Livingston.
With the Fifers sitting joint top of the table with Thistle going into this weekend’s round of fixtures, Jefferies believes his side should take plenty of heart from their cup win over their fellow title contenders last Saturday.
”Morton will have plenty to say in things as well but I think Partick and Dunfermline have showed that this league will be keenly contested for the rest of the season,” he said.
”There isn’t a lot between the teams and it will always be about who plays better on the day.
”But if anything should give them confidence that they have the ability to go and have a good season, it should be winning at Partick.
”I think the first half an hour especially showed Partick that Dunfermline are a good side.
”But we know it will be another tight game against Livingston on Saturday.
”Livi pass it around and are a good footballing side, so if you sit off them they can cause you problems all day.
”We have to make sure our application is right and get up on top of them.
”We did that fantastically well in the first game against them at East End Park and I think 4-0 actually flattered them a wee bit in the end.
”But it’s a different game when they’re at home we have to be up for it.”
It has been another difficult week off the field for the Pars, with players only receiving less than half of their scheduled November salary due to continuing cashflow pressures.
Fans have continued to rally round to organise fundraising activities, with the Pars Alive fans group due to take part in a sponsored walk over the Forth Road Bridge on Saturday.
A Christmas single entitled Come on D.A. was released yesterday, featuring Pars legend Jim Leishman, the squad and Bruce and Jamie Watson from Big Country, to help swell the coffers, while an open meeting of the Pars Supporters Trust will also be held at the Vine Centre at 7.30pm on Tuesday to discuss the situation.
Owner Gavin Masterton has been keeping the players and staff up to date with the situation and as far as Jefferies is concerned, that is all he can ask for at the moment.
”The owner said to me before Saturday that it would be nice if we could get through in the cup, so it’s pleasing with all the financial things that have been going on that we managed to do that.”