Cove Rangers manager Paul Hartley has challenged his players to make their final game of the season matter.
With three games remaining of the Championship campaign Cove are bottom of the division, two points behind Hamilton Accies and six points behind third-bottom Arbroath.
With Cove travelling to Arbroath tomorrow and Dick Campbell’s side also due to host Accies on the final day of the season on Friday, May 5, Hartley is determined to take the relegation dogfight to the wire.
He said: “We want to have something to play for in the Morton game on the Friday night of the last day of the season.
“Can we give ourselves an opportunity to stay in the league that day? You don’t want to fizzle out and have nothing to play for.
“They’re all big games now and this is the next biggest one. We’ve got no room for error, we need to get out there and try to win the game. That’s the bottom line.”
‘We need to win games of football’
Hamilton’s defeat at home to play-off chasing Caley Thistle means Cove are two points behind John Rankin’s side with a game in hand.
But Hartley insists Accies’ loss does not change his side’s task.
He said: “If the result had gone the other way it would have become more difficult then but we have to take care of our own business regardless.
“You look at other results for teams around us and it can impact on what we need to do. But at this point we know we need to win games of football.”
Three games left for Cove to turn fortunes around
Arbroath have lost just once in the eight games they have played since the 1-1 draw at Cove on February 18.
Cove boss Hartley hopes his side can take inspiration from the Red Lichties’ improvement as his side bid to mount a late push for survival of their own.
He said: “I went up to Inverness last week to watch Arbroath and they know how to get results.
“They’ve shown that over the last eight games. They were in a situation like we are and managed to get some results.
“They are experienced in this division and had a good season last year. It has been different this season but going to Gayfield is always a tough fixture.
“We’ve got to go out there and be as positive as we can.
“We’ve still got an opportunity to keep ourselves in the league and the players have got to show they believe they can still do that.
“Three games can be enough to turn it around but the players have got to do the business.
“It’s not about tactics now, it’s about showing guts and desire, and taking responsibility for winning a game of football. That’s what will keep us in the division.”
Goalkeeper Scott Fox is available again after concussion protocol but Shay Logan, Miko Virtanen, Blair Yule, Fraser Fyvie and Brody Paterson are all out.
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