BOTH the Cowdenbeath manager and captain are looking for 2019 to see the improvement in the Blue Brazil continue to develop and cement the team as a top half of the table side.

And that means going to places like Stirling, this coming Saturday, and getting three points.

Cowden lost their first game in six at home to Ladbrokes League 2 leaders Edinburgh City but they are still in touch with the top four sides although both Gary Bollan and David Marsh are very aware of the need to get back on the winning trail as soon as possible.

Said manager Bollan: “We showed on Saturday that we can compete with the best team in League 2.

“We made a great start to the game and had a good penalty shout turned down in the first minute and then had another couple of good chances, but a bit of slackness cost us a key goal in City’s first serious attack after 20 minutes.

“It was the same at the start of the second-half, we created two great chances but gifted City their second goal by the hour mark and that is really not good enough.

“We undid a lot of our good work by needlessly losing goals and I thought it was something we had got out of our system, but maybe we will have to tighten up on that before next Saturday.”

The manager added: “If we can win at Stirling we will got into the new year with almost as many points as we achieved the whole of last season so that has to be our aim.

“We feel we have a squad which can compete in the division and our aim is the top four.”

Skipper Marsh echoed these sentiments: “We started the season with a totally new squad and after an indifferent spell we really started to play well and got points on the board.

“Against Edinburgh City we really shot ourselves in the foot with the goals we conceded at completely the worst time in the game, for we had looked like scoring every time we attacked in the opening stages of both halves, then gave away needless goals which turned the game City’s way.

“We have to sort that out in training this week and look to get a win at Stirling for we feel we have the players to look at making a challenge in the top half of the table.”

Robbie Buchanan will be available for the Stirling game after his suspension ended on Saturday but Jason Talbot will be out for two games after his red card against City. Striker David Cox is also ready to resume after sitting out the Edinburgh game on the bench.

Also Martin Scott is getting near full fitness as is Pat Scullion.