Cove Rangers boss Jim McIntyre insists their last meeting with Hamilton Accies will have no bearing on Friday night’s fixture.
Cove’s visit to Hamilton in October yielded an epic 4-4 draw, in which the Aberdeen side lost a three-goal lead and conceded a stoppage-time equaliser.
There is an added onus on both sides to get the points at the Balmoral Stadium tomorrow, with Accies desperate to get off the foot of the table and Cove keen to catch the pack above them.
The previous game between the two sides in the north-east also ended in a draw, with Cove on that occasion coming from behind twice to grab a point.
Friday’s game has to be treated on its own merits, as Cove try to put some daylight between them and the bottom club.
“You just take each game on its merits,” said McIntyre. “If you get caught up in what you think should have happened, it doesn’t do you any good.
“They will look at it as a comeback, we will look at it as a collapse. That’s the nature of the beast of football.
“It’s the third game against each other and we’re halfway through the season – everyone knows about each other now.
“We want to climb the table but we’re aware that a win for Hamilton drags us closer towards them.”
The previous meeting with Hamilton, plus games against Morton and Partick Thistle, were evidence of where late goals have undone Cove.
In those three games alone they could have been five points better off, with Thistle levelling in stoppage-time three weeks ago thanks to goalkeeper Jamie Sneddon’s dramatic goal.
“It’s about making better decisions,” said McIntyre. “We had the ball in the opposition half against Partick and should have kept it there.
“We need to be better in the key moments, especially when trying to see out a game.
“It’s nous, knowing what stage the game is at and when we need to kill the game if there’s a minute or two left.”
Cove will be without defender Shay Logan for the game due to a calf problem but Kyle McClelland is back involved after three months out.
“It’s been a decent quarter but it could have been better, if you look at some of the decisions that have gone against us and late goals we’ve lost,” added McIntyre.
“If we can finish with a win against Hamilton, then it will have been a pleasing nine games.”