It might be 4th v 5th in the league table but its 1st v 2nd in the form table, as Falkirk visit Palmerston this Saturday.
One more reason, as if you needed it, to bring the kids along and take advantage of the free admission offer for under 16s.
The Opposition
This is Falkirks second, and final, visit of the season to Palmerston – any potential play offs excluded of course – but it is over six months since their first visit, a 2-0 home win thanks to two Stephen Dobbie goals back at the end of August. The only other game between the two sides was a 2-2 at the Falkirk stadium in December when two Miles Hippolyte goals were cancelled out by strikes from Dobbie and Lyle.
Peter Houston did little business in the January transfer window. Goalkeeper Deniz Mehmet was released, and has joined Port Vale this week as was John Rankin, who is of course now our club captain. The only other playing leaving was Liam Henderson who joined Cowdenbeath on loan. Three players joined the Bairns in January with Fraser Aird and Joe McKee bolstering the midfield options after their releases from Rangers and Carlisle respectively. Houstons options up front have also been improved with the return from injury of striker Nathan Austin, who Gary Naysmith knows from his time at East Fife.
The third player to join in January was ex-Queens keeper, Robbie Thomson, who had left Hamilton Accies. He brings the number of our former players in the Falkirk squad to six, alongside Lewis Kidd, Doonhamer Aaron Muirhead, who was with the club as a youth, Mark Kerr, John Baird and Bob McHugh.
The Bairns had a sticky start to the league, losing two and drawing one of their opening three games. They then, though, went on a unbeaten run of six games, including five wins before hitting a slight slump in October and November, going four games without a win. This was a feat they repeated in December, after recording wins over Ayr and St Mirren. League form since then has been much better and the Falkirk side are unbeaten in seven games coming into Saturdays match.
The Game
This Ladbrokes Championship match kicks off at 3pm on Saturday 4th March at Palmerston. Live updates will be available on the website and on Twitter and Facebook. We will also publish pictures through the day on our new Instagram Channel
The Fans
KIDS GO FREE at this game – anyone 15 or under can get a free ticket for the match, from the usual ticket offices. Both home and away fans can take advantage of this offer.
For home fans, the normal ticket procedure applies for the game and tickets will be available for all areas of the ground on match day from the usual ticket offices. Tickets can also be purchased in advance from the Midsteeple and, from Thursday onwards, the Club Shop.
For season ticket holders, this will be match ticket 14.
Full ticket details and pricing, for home and away fans, can be found here
Away fans will be in the Rosefield Salvage Stand. Tickets are on sale on the day at the ground from the usual ticket offices.
Directions on how to get to Palmerston, including parking information, can be found here
Never been to Palmerston before? Read our First Time Fan Guide
The Manager
I was pleased with both the performance and the result against Raith Rovers last weekend, although the final outcome probably flattered our opponents. It was a game that we dominated and should really have been out of sight by half-time. But when they pulled the margin to only a single goal you are always in danger of not winning the game. We did so but I would like us to be managing the games better and making sure we take our chances when we are on top. Raith could have nicked an equaliser at the end and it would have been soul-destroying not to take three points.
With the win and the contract extensions for Kyle Jacobs and Jordan Marshall it proved to be a good day all round.
This weekend's game against Falkirk will be another tough one for us, they're in a rich vein of form, having not lost in the Championship since News Year’s Eve – and that was against Hibernian. Saturday is the start of a challenging week for us, with away games at Dunfermline Athletic and Morton to come. By the time we have played these three games we should have a better idea of of how the season is going to go.
The gap between ourselves and the play-offs is a big one but we closed the gap last week and all we can do is take care of our own business and see where it leaves us, I think it’s fair to suggest that we certainly can’t afford any more slip-ups.
However, I'm happy with the squad I’ve now got. In no way, shape or form does the team pick itself and, as a manager, that’s what you want. We’ve got good competition for places and I have told the boys that they will probably all be needed between now and the end of the season.
The Team
Apart from the long term injuries - we have a full squad to pick from.
The Officials
Referee : Gavin Duncan
Assistant 1 : Graham Chambers
Assistant 2 : Graham Grainger
This is just Mr Duncans fourth game in charge for one of our games. Our record in the first three is a very even one win, one defeat and one draw.
The Stats
As mentioned in the introduction, we are top of the form table for the last six games, with 13 points, Falkirk are just a point behind on 12. Falkirk, though, sit top of the form table for away games with 11 points from their last 6 away games. Our home form is less impressive, as we sit 5th with just 8 points from the last 6 home games. Of course, 6 of those have come in the last 2 games and only 3 of the 6 games were this year.
The head to heads at Palmerston show the home team ahead with 19 wins to Falkirks 14 and while the Bairns have enjoyed cup success in Dumfries it is April 2014 since they last won a league game here.