Bollan knows how vital Brechin contest is in fight for survival

Cowdenbeath boss Gary Bollan admits tonight’s clash with bottom of the table side Brechin City at Glebe Park is a massive game in their quest to secure League Two safety.

The Blue Brazil slipped to a 5-1 defeat at home to Stirling Albion on Saturday but a win over the basement boys would see the Central Park side pull 11 points away from pyramid play-off danger.

Bollan says his squad know the significance of tonight’s match as he explained: “It is a massive game, and so is every game just now. However, this is the most important as it is the one we face next.

“We will approach it in the same manner as any other in that we will go up to Glebe Park looking to win the three points. That would stretch our lead to 11 points so that is our target going into the final four games.

“Saturday against Stirling was not the result or performance we wanted at all. It was both disappointing and embarrassing to lose five goals in the manner we did.

“We are usually defensively solid, but we did not play particularly well in that area of the pitch.

“Our boys better days.

“I spoke to them after the game and they held their hands up and said they had an off day. It was a real poor show in terms of the goals that we lost. We got ourselves back into the game at 1-1 but that only lasted a couple of minutes and that is not good enough.”

Cowden will compete in the bottom half of the post-split fixtures and Bollan knows that they have had need to show resolve as he explained: “These boys are working all day long in full-time employment outwith their football, and it’s a really difficult period.

“It is what has been put in front of us, so we just need to get on with it even if I was one of the ones who disagreed with it.”

Brechin boss Michael Paton has demanded his players show they are up for the fight.

Saturday’s 3-0 loss away to Annan saw their fears of being dragged into a relegation play-off worsen but a defiant Paton said: “It is definitely not over, but the boys need to dust the Annan result off as soon as possible, because the games are coming thick and fast.

“We now have the opportunity to rectify Saturday’s really poor performance very quickly and use it as a chance to start building. In the last few games, we really need to show we are up for the fight.

“All we can do is go again, regroup and try and look at the positives and take them into the Cowdenbeath game. We have to make sure that performances are much, much better.”