Cove Rangers find themselves in a position which has surpassed even their manager’s expectations.
With six games to go, they are third in League One in the thick of the promotion race, with a real chance of going up for the third season in a row.
The visit of Falkirk to the Balmoral Stadium today crystalises those ambitions. Falkirk have been the favourites to claim the league title for most of the season, but have not put it to bed.
With the confirmation of the post-split schedule earlier this week, the potential for more twists before the end of the month is real. Part-time players who have already given so much since the lower-league return last month will have to play four times in 10 days to get the 22 games completed.
Paul Hartley, the Cove manager, is quick to pass on praise to the players, for the efforts they have had to put in to get the club to this position.
“We’ll see where the next batch of games takes us,” said Hartley. “The players know what’s in front of them, it doesn’t need me to tell them. Try and get as many points as we can and whatever happens at the end of the season, a top-five finish is good for us.
“You never know, it could get better. You want to be at the business end of the season fighting for things. We’ve gave ourselves a chance, that’s all we can ask for.
“Has it surpassed my expectations? Of course. It’s a tough league – you expect the full-time teams to be up there and they are now. We’ve just come into the league and fought in every game, trying to get as many points as we can.
“All the credit must go to the players. It takes its toll; they’ve got other things going on in their lives. They’ve got jobs and families.
“I’ve got to praise all the teams, especially the ones who are part-time. It’s a tough schedule when you see some of the games – Thursday, Saturday, early kick-offs. There’s not been a great deal of thought gone into it.
“It’s basically ‘there you go. Get on with it as best you can’.”
💬 “Every game is a battle and they are often decided by the narrowest of margins"
Read what Mitch had to say ahead of tomorrow's tie with Falkirk 👉 https://t.co/re4MFSLgsC pic.twitter.com/HlnNais4St
— Cove Rangers FC (@CoveRangersFC) April 16, 2021
Hartley, who has achieved promotions with Dundee and Alloa Athletic, rates this season with Cove as his toughest in management.
“We’ve had to deal with a lot of stuff, stuff that’s not football-related. We’ve had a couple of stops and you’re trying to pick up the pieces again. You’re having to get the players in as best condition as you can in two weeks before you start all over again.
“The run of games is quite quick and you’ve got all the Covid stuff as well. You try get on with it as best you can. The good thing is we’re back playing.
“You would rather be full-time and working with them every day, but we’re not in that position. It’s a quick turnaround in the next couple of weeks, so we’ve got to try get in as much rest as we can.”
Cove have two games left before the split, with an away visit to Montrose on Tuesday night taking them to 18 games.
They would then face the Bairns again, Partick Thistle and two of Airdrieonians, East Fife, Montrose or Peterhead.
“We’ve just got to play the games we have to play to see the season finished,” said Hartley. “We’ve been used to it the last few weeks, so it doesn’t surprise me.
“We’ve just got to get on with it as best we can and try keep everyone fresh and injury-free.
“You’re going to get one of the breaks – there’s going to be a midweek or a Saturday where you don’t play. It’s not much of a break really, you’ve just got to make the best of it.”
Managing the demands on his players has become the priority amid the hectic schedule. Jamie Masson and Harry Milne have already been lost for the season with ankle injuries and training has been more about recovery than anything else for Cove.
“We’re a couple down with (Jamie) Masson and Harry (Milne), so we’re trying to keep everyone injury-free. You’ll have to use the squad in these key games,” added Hartley.
“You’ve got to get a wee bit lucky. The season has been a bit stop-start for the players and the boys have kept themselves in good condition. Hopefully that will bear fruit.
“You never know what can happen. We’ve had two freak injuries, so hopefully we keep everyone injury-free until the end of the season.”