Brechin boss would like to see Bairns doing the chasing in today’s game

Christmas is fast approaching but today’s clash between the Championship’s bottom two teams sees both managers seeking their first win in the league.

Brechin City boss Darren Dods knows that opposite number Paul Hartley will view this as his big opportunity with Falkirk.

But Dods is determined to make him wait a bit longer.

He said: “I am sure that Falkirk will have looked at this game and viewed it as a chance to get themselves up and running under Paul.

“However we are keen to get our first win on the board and we will be looking to do that.

“If we can get in front it would be a huge boost to us.

“We have not done that all season in the league and it would be good to be in that position as opposed to chasing.”

He added: “We got a draw against Falkirk in the first meeting this season and we could have actually won.

“They were better in the first half but we battled back and got an equaliser and had to chance to get the three points but never took it.

“It was close between us the last time and I am sure it will be again if we can play to the same standard that we did that day.

“Despite losing to St Mirren last weekend we will take confidence from the game.

“It was a much-improved performance from the games at Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Morton and we were unfortunate not to get anything as the penalty they got to win the game was unfortunate.”

James Dale returns from a ban and Connor McLellan has recovered from a knock, leaving Ryan McGeever as the only absentee for Brechin.

Despite being among the pre-season favourites to win the Championship, this afternoon’s clash with Brechin has emerged as a relegation six-pointer with Hartley having replaced the axed Peter Houston in the hot-seat in early October.

Brechin are closer to Falkirk than the Bairns are to eighth-placed Inverness and ex-Hearts man Jordan McGhee believes they need to be ready to win.

He said: “We should never have got ourselves into this position, but we have more than enough quality in the dressing room to get out of it.

“We need to stand up, be counted and sort it out.”