Scott Ross reckons the 3-0 win over Peterhead earlier in the season was one of Cove Rangers’ strongest performances.
Now the defender is hoping for more of the same as Cove head north to take on his old club.
The Aberdeen side were imperious on that day at the Balmoral Stadium and Ross said the only regret coming off was they had not scored more.
But there is an acknowledgement that going to Balmoor is an entirely different prospect on Sunday afternoon.
“It’s always a close game against Peterhead, especially Balmoor as it’s a tough place to go to for any team,” said Ross. “We’re going to have to really work for the three points.
“That performance was probably one of the best performances we’ve had in a while. We slightly tweaked the formation that day and everything seemed to click.
“Coming off, it was maybe a bit disappointing we didn’t increase the score but 3-0 is a good result against a strong Peterhead team. Hopefully we can put in another performance like that on Sunday.”
Of late, Cove’s shift in formation has allowed Ross to draw on experience he picked up during his six years with Peterhead.
The move to a back three has been a seamless transition and it is something Ross and long-time colleague Ryan Strachan had been used to, given they played it under Jim McInally at Balmoor.
“At the moment it suits the personnel we’ve got in the team,” said Ross. “Shay (Logan) and Harry (Milne) can get forward a bit more and be more attack-minded, knowing you’ve got the three centre-backs there to cover if required.
“It’s worked well but last Sunday we changed to a four and got the three points again. It’s something the manager looks at, what personnel he’s got available and who we’re playing each game.
“When I was at Peterhead, myself and Ryan Strachan used to play in a three under Jim (McInally). It’s a formation myself and Ryan know quite well.
“I don’t know how long me and Ryan have been playing together know, probably since we were young boys at Aberdeen. We’ve got that understanding and friendship, as we’re friends away from football as well.
“Big Morgyn (Neill) has come in and he does the side of the game that maybe myself and Ryan aren’t so strong at. He can go against your six-foot-four strikers and battle for everything. He’s been a great addition to the team.”
Heading into Sunday’s game Cove are in a strong position, with the win over East Fife ensuring they have a five-point lead heading into the New Year.
“It’s a good position to be in,” said Ross. You want to be up there leading rather than chasing a few points off. We’ve put ourselves in a good position but that’s down to the hard work through the week and each game we’ve played.
“We want to stay there, so we need to keep pushing and working to maintain our performance levels.
“If you speak to any team, it’s all about putting a run together. A few wins and you shoot up the table. Likewise if you lose a few games, you get dragged towards the bottom.”