Rory MacEwan reckons recent results are the ideal platform to try to secure their first win over Edinburgh City since 2018.
It was August of that year when Shane Sutherland scored the only goal to defeat their opponents from the capital.
They have met 13 times since and the Black and Whites, despite many decent displays, have not managed to beat them.
However, back-to-back victories over Stirling Albion and high-flying Forfar Athletic after comeback draw with Stenhousemuir have taken League Two’s ninth-placed side to within just five points of tonight’s hosts.
Time to set record straight in capital
Midfielder MacEwan is confident the players can earn what would be a massive three points in the context of their promotion push.
He said: “If we beat Edinburgh, we go two points behind them then we have Albion Rovers the week after that, who are one point above us.
“These are two winnable games. It’s about time we beat Edinburgh City. We have put in strong performances against them, but for some reason – it’s almost like a mental block – we haven’t got the win against them.
“We’ve dominated games against them and drawn or lost, so it’s time for us to get a result over them.
“It makes a difference when you go into a game like this after a few good results. You don’t have the sense of frustration that you have when you’ve maybe not won a few games.”
Clean sheets have boosted Elgin City
The 24-year-old playmaker, who has 23 appearances to his name this term, believes keeping the door shut at the back has been a solid foundation for their recent upturn in fortunes.
He said: “We’ve had three good results in a row, which has taken us closer to the teams above.
“We’re five points away from the play-offs and 10 clear of Cowdenbeath, so it has taken us back into it again.
“We have been playing a lot of nice stuff this season and creating plenty of chances, but we have been conceding sloppy goals and losing games.
“Now it has been the other way around. We have kept two clean sheets in a row and we have scored the goals to get the wins.
“Hopefully we can build on that and put in more performances like that and keep more clean sheets and the goals will come. Kane (Hester) will soon start banging in the goals again to keep the run going.
Fitness came to fore against Forfar
Last weekend’s 1-0 win against Forfar came courtesy of a second successive home late goal by Darryl McHardy and MacEwan feels fitness mattered in the end.
GOALLLLLLL RIGHT AT THE END DARRYL MCHARDY WITH THE GOAL TO GIVE ELGIN ALL 3 points ⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/sTvioP0l0d
— Elgin City F.C. (@ElginCityFC) January 2, 2022
He added: “We were dominant in the second half against Forfar on Sunday, We know what we can do going down that hill. It almost gives you a second wind.
“It showed the fitness of the team to keep going. The hard work we’re putting in at training is paying off.”