Cove Rangers manager Paul Hartley insists his focus is only on his own team as they try to close the gap on the teams above them in League One.
Falkirk and Hamilton have broken clear at the top of the division with the two undefeated sides holding a double digit lead on the clubs behind them.
The Bairns have taken 29 points from a possible 33 while Accies are only two points behind them in what has been a strong start from the pacesetters.
Hartley said: “We’ve got to concentrate on pushing up the table. The top two have been very consistent. It was like us and Airdrie a couple of seasons ago.
“We went 26 unbeaten while Airdrie were 20 or so and the top two are doing the same just now so fair play to them.
“We’ve just got to focus on ourselves and our goal of making sure we pick up much more points in this quarter than we did from the first.
“I can see good signs and with one or two players coming back they will make us stronger again.”
Cove chasing three-in-a-row as they bid to end Accies’ unbeaten start
Accies put their unbeaten start on the line when they travel to Balmoral Stadium on Saturday to face a Cove side which has recorded consecutive league wins for the first time in more than a year.
Cove last won back-to-back league games on October 1 and 4, 2022 when they beat Arbroath and Dundee in the Championship.
They last won three in a row when they claimed victory in their final three games of their championship winning season in League One in 2021-22.
Cove have work to do as they chase a top four berth but Hartley believes confidence and momentum is building within his squad following their 1-0 win at Queen of the South last weekend.
He said: “It was a strong away performance.
“We kept a clean sheet, produced a good team performance and it was nice to get three points and back-to-back wins for the first time in a long time.
“It will give the players more confidence. We’ve seen that coming the last four or five weeks.
“Hamilton are on a great run. They’ve been very strong and consistent like Falkirk but there wasn’t a lot between us in the first game of the season or in the cup game prior to that.
“We’re looking forward to it and the players should be confident going into it.”
‘Doyle will strengthen us’
Michael Doyle is in line to make his home debut after signing a short-term deal on Tuesday following an impressive showing as a trialist last weekend.
Hartley believes the 32-year-old defender has a big role to play in the weeks ahead.
He said: “Signing Michael on Tuesday will further strengthen us.
“He’s been promoted with Queen’s Park from this division and I signed him as a youngster 13 years ago as one of my first signings at Alloa.
“He’s had promotion with a few teams and you know what you get from Michael.
“He’s very consistent at right back and a good professional and talker who will help the group.”
Cove Rangers captain Mitch Megginson returns from suspension while defender Josh Kerr, who has been out since August with an ankle injury, has resumed training and should be ready to return nearer the end of the month.
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