Leighton McIntosh feels the pressure on Cove Rangers at the top of League One is helping bring the best out of them.
McIntosh was the hero for Cove on Sunday afternoon, coming off the bench in the second half to grab a late equaliser for the Aberdeen side in a 1-1 draw with Queen’s Park at Firhill.
It was the second week in a row Cove had scored a stoppage-time leveller after Fraser Fyvie’s spectacular strike against Airdrieonians the week previous.
The Diamonds have kept the pressure on Cove with their unbeaten run and had cut the gap at the top to two points prior to yesterday’s game.
But McIntosh’s header means it goes back up to three and the point could prove crucial come the end of the season.
“I just tried to focus on getting there first and directing it,” said McIntosh. “It sat up nicely for me to go and attack it.
“We’re such a strong squad and have got a lot of avenues to score. Whether it’s something from the edge of the box, headers or more technical goals, we’ve got good quality to produce that when it counts.
“Every point is crucial now. There’s pressure from that second place but sometimes that squeezes the best out of you. Luckily we’ve managed to get another result.
“It’s four games to go and every game is massive now. We just need to dig in and win games, no matter how.
“The pitch, everyone could see, was horrendous. We didn’t know how it was going to pan out. But championship-winning teams come across these challenges and we’ve managed to get a point.”
It has been a frustrating period for McIntosh, as he has not been a regular in the side, but he was pleased he could contribute.
“I’ve been in and out of the team, but you just have to keep going and stay positive,” he said.
“I’m pleased to get another goal and hopefully I can chip in with a few more before the end of the season and see where it takes us.”