Elgin City manager Jim Weir is determined for his side to cling on to second place in League 2 by avoiding defeat in today’s crucial match at Arbroath.
The Red Lichties are two points behind the Moray side, meaning a victory will see them leapfrog City with a game in hand.
Elgin go into the encounter on the back of three home victories, having scored 18 goals in the process, and Weir is eager for his side to sign off for 2016 with a good result at Gayfield. Weir said: “We should be going into the game with confidence after our three home wins, which have been a boost for us after three league defeats.
“The games keep getting tougher at this time of the season.
“Teams start to run out of games and each one brings a bit more pressure.
“Nothing will be settled by the result against Arbroath but if we can come out with a result we will still be in the position we are in. We are not looking much further ahead than that.”
Arbroath bounced back from a crushing 5-0 Scottish Cup defeat by Clyde with last weekend’s impressive 1-0 win at league leaders Forfar and Weir is aware of the danger posed by the Angus men. He added: “Arbroath have recovered really well from their cup defeat by Clyde by going away to the league leaders and winning.
“That’s the measure of Dick Campbell. He has a lot of experience and knows how to pick his side up after a defeat.
“They have only lost two games in the league, while we have lost seven, so there is a resilience about them.
“There have been games in which they have come from behind and gone on to win, which is not something we have done enough of.
“We need to make sure we learn from the defeats we have had.”
Elgin’s only absentee is midfielder Scott Smith, who is recovering from a long-term ankle injury.