Pars ‘must go out and focus on the job’ says boss

PRIDE will be at stake when the Pars take on their fierce rivals on Saturday but their boss is adamant his players must solely focus on the task at hand.

James McPake’s league leaders make the trip over the Kincardine Bridge to Falkirk, where a victory would create a seven-point gap between the clubs.

For supporters of both clubs, who look set to ensure the match is one of the bestattended across Scotland this weekend, it is one of the first fixtures to look out for whenever they are pitched together in the same division.

McPake, who himself has competed in intense rivalries as a player with the likes of Hibernian and Dundee, is aware of what the game means to those in stands.

However, he said that he and his players had to block out the emotion involved with the crowd and ensure they execute a game plan that will yield a positive result.

“As a coach, as a player, as a manager, whatever, you want these games, and want them in terms of the crowd, which I think has been pretty consistent at East End Park,” McPake commented.

“The crowd have been great. They’ve been consistent in their numbers, and turning up week-in, week-out, and the players have responded pretty well to that. That’s a positive and, when it comes to a game like this, it brings its own side.

“But you strip it back, you look at the game and, for us and for them, there’s three points to play for.

“There’s pride to play for, or whatever you want to call it, but you get that every week. Would we rather have it every week, playing in these big games? Of course we would, but we are where we are, and Falkirk are where they are.

“It’s another game in a season that people are excited about. We need to make sure we go down there and are ready, because we know Falkirk will be.

“The only thing you can control is the team you pick, and sometimes you can’t even control that in terms of injury, but that’s the same for both clubs.

“You get excited about every game, and this is just another fixture on our calendar. It’s an exciting day for the fans but we’ve got a job to do going down there.”

September’s 1-1 draw at KDM Group East End Park was McPake’s first taste of the rivalry between the clubs, which both he and his opposite number, John McGlynn, agreed was a good advert for League One.

“Looking back at the last one, yeah, I enjoyed it,” he continued.

“I want to be involved in big games. As you said, I’m used to, throughout my career, being involved in derbies and big games but, at the end of the day, it’s 11 v 11. You need to go down and be better than who you’re facing. That’s what we’re hoping for.

“The game earlier in the season was, I think, a really good game for the league. We expect a tough game on Saturday, of course.

“Every game we’ve played so far has been tough, and we’re working this week with the sole focus being what we’re going to try and do on Saturday.

“The form for both clubs, I think, since the last game has been pretty consistent as well.

“They’re at home – they’ll be confident after the weekend as well – so it’s a good one for the neutral, for both sets of fans, and both sets of players and coaches.

“But, we just strip it back, relax, concentrate on the game, and go down with a plan.

“We know that there is going to be a big away support travelling and we need to go out and try and send them home happy.”