COWDENBEATH need to win at Kirkcaldy on Saturday to close the gap on the teams above them in the Championship table.

The back to back home defeats at the hands of Rangers and Hibs, allied to Alloa’s win over Livingston, leaves Cowden a point adrift of Livi and three behind Dumbarton at the bottom of the table, so three points from the derby is required.

Manager Jimmy Nicholl was really disappointed that his team did not take something from Saturday’s game with Hibs. But he stressed had they played for 90 minutes like they did in the second-half, they could well have won the match.

“We are simply going to have to learn to play for 90 minutes in games,” he said.

“In the first-half we did not compete at all and gave away two goals which were very much in the avoidable bracket.

“At half-time I gave them a good lecture and in the second period it was so much better, we were in their faces and giving them no space.

“We scored a fine goal and really had chances to add to that but unfortunately we just could not get the second goal our play probably deserved.” But the manager also reported that two important players will be out for another four weeks at least, with skipper John Armstrong and midfielder Declan Hughes struggling.

“Unfortunately we will have to do without both these lads but that is something we will have to cope with and we must be prepared to start the derby match on Saturday like we finished against Hibs,” he went on.

“We are needing to get points on the board but derbies are always tough games and we will have to be ready to compete hard from the first whistle.” Midfielder Jon Robertson agreed when he told our reporter, “The boss was right that we just did not do enough in the first-half and I know that I should have done better at the first goal.

“However, once we got going after the break we put them under a lot of pressure, but we have to stop giving ourselves mountains to climb.

“We are needing to string together some wins, and starting at Kirkcaldy on Saturday has to be top of our agenda.” If Cowden can win at Kirkcaldy they have Livingston at home the following week so the wins Jon Robertson was talking about could be achieved.

There were no major injury problems from the Hibs game and the manager may be tempted to name same again after the bright second-half show and the absence of Hughes and Armstrong.