Cup win can provide league springboard

East Fife meet Montrose at the Locality Hub Bayview this afternoon with the Fifers boss Darren Young determined that his side see off the Gable Endies and further consolidate their place in the top four.

Young said: “There are four games left in this quarter and I am looking for us to win them all. If we can do that and be in the top four at the end of the first half of the season everyone would be pleased.”

Young is looking for his side to use last weekend’s Scottish Cup success at Berwick as the springboard for another string of victories, however he knows that they need to sharpen up in front of goal to do so.

He said: “We should have been out of sight at half-time at Berwick. We made loads of chances and no one could have complained if we were four up.

“However, it was only the two and that gave Berwick hope.

“They put on a bit of pressure after pulling a goal back. I cannot be too hard on the strikers as they set up our goals, but it could have been a more comfortable victory than it turned out.

“We got the win and it is all about building on that now. We want to go on another long sequence of wins as our seven-game one earlier in the season took us from bottom into the play-off pack.”

Montrose also progressed in the Scottish Cup. However, they needed a replay to see off Annan and Young is unsure how the midweek Galabank success will affect Stewart Petrie’s side as he added: “Montrose were 4-0 up at half-time and cruising but the second half turned into a right scrap and they eventually got through 4-3.

“They will have been pleased at getting through but disappointed at putting themselves in danger of losing such a good lead. They will have been high at one point and then low at another.

“They have good experienced players in their ranks and they have done well since being promoted. No matter the state of mind they arrive in we aim to beat them.”

Kevin Smith is expected to return from injury to give Young a full squad to choose from.

Darren Young wants his side to consolidate top four place.