One win can change everything: Smith

The visit of Stenhousemuir to Glebe Park is a chance for Brechin’s season to start moving in a positive direction, says boss Barry Smith.

After suffering three defeats in a row, during which time 12 goals have been conceded, recently-appointed Smith is looking for his team to show better defensive qualities.

He said: “Stenhousemuir will view this as an opportunity to pull themselves to within a point of us in bottom place.

“However, we should be looking to avoid even thinking like that.

“If we win, we are one win potentially away from a top four place. A win for us could change the complexion of how things are looking.

“They have a lot of strengths particularly in attack where Mark McGuigan is very dangerous so the need for a strong defence is paramount.

“They deservedly defeated Falkirk in the Scottish Cup recently and scored twice at Arbroath last weekend, so we know we are in for a test.

“If we concentrate on what we are good at and defend properly we can get the win and look up the way.”

Smith identified the second half display at Dumbarton last weekend as one not to be repeated.

“We did well for the first 45 minutes and we had opportunities in their half, but we made the wrong decisions when we had these opportunities,” he said.

“We went in at half-time with the score at 0-0. However, we lost 4-1 and that shows that there is a lot of work to be done by everybody on the defensive side of our game.

“What was more concerning was that they were soft goals.”

Paul McLean could return. However, Ryan McGeever, Dene Shields and Callum Hendry are missing through injury, with Cameron Blues a doubt after being ill earlier this week.