For much of Cove Rangers’ rise through the leagues, Mitch Megginson had the golden touch in front of goal.
Twenty-goal seasons became the norm for the Cove talisman and while some drop-off was a possibility when they stepped up to the Championship, it has been far from plain sailing for Megginson.
He has eight goals this season, the same as midfielder Connor Scully, with one in his last 10 games. Without wanting to make excuses, there are reasons behind the dip in form.
“I can’t remember the last time I had a shot on goal,” he said. “The chances are very limited. We’re not creating much at all.
“There’s a few reasons for that. We need to have the quality in place to do that. This season I’ve been spending a lot of time up front by myself with not a lot of support, because we’re defending more this season than we have in the past.
“It’s been the case over the last few years where it’s fallen naturally to myself but there was always going to be a period where you’re not going to hit the numbers you’re used to.
“It’s important that you’re getting goals from elsewhere. Rory (McAllister) chipped in last season, (Connor) Scully pitched in with a few goals at the start of this season.
“I’m finding hitting the back of the net harder this season and you can’t rely on one person to do it. But that’s the same at any club.”
McIntosh picking up slack
One man who has picked up the slack is Leighton McIntosh. The former Peterhead and Dundee forward had to get used to a bit-part role earlier in the campaign but has scored seven goals in his last 13 outings, taking him to the top of the club charts.
“Leighton has done well the last wee while,” added Megginson. “Any time he comes off the bench, you can pretty much put money on him scoring.
“For him, it was about turning that into doing it when he starts. He’s been doing that the last few games, which is key for us to have another goalscorer.
“He probably hasn’t done it as consistently as he would have liked over the last few years but he’s in a rich vein form. If he can keep doing that until the end of the season it’ll probably pick us up points.”
Much like Megginson finds himself in an unfamiliar position in front of goal, so do Cove with their position in the league table.
So used to challenging for honours come the end of the season, this season upheaval rather than continuity has been the recurring theme which has underpinned their struggles.
“From being so positive every week, to losing important games which we’re not used to, it’s having that kind of effect,” said Megginson.
Important to survive year
“Realistically that was going to be the case, stepping up to the Championship. You take in the management change in the summer, going through it again in January and the influx of players as well, it’s not been plain sailing.
“The most important thing is surviving this year. I’m sure the gaffer and the chairman will look to build on that if we manage to stay in the league.
“It’s a fair point (upheaval) – we’re so used to having the same squad. Any team that does that tends to be more successful.
“It was going to happen at some point but it does have that effect. Everyone is learning new faces and the team is changing. It’s not getting that consistency.”
They face Dundee at the Balmoral Stadium on Saturday, the team they lost 3-0 to on the road last month.
With the gap between the bottom three narrowing each week, points at home are becoming ever more important.
New signing on loan from Livingston
“Coming from the last game, we need to have more of an attacking intent,” he said. “Being at home will allow us to do that.
“We’re fighting for our lives at the bottom, so it should be a decent contest.”
Cove have completed the signing of defender Jackson Longridge on loan from Premiership side Livingston.
Longridge has featured sparingly for the Lions this season, making nine league appearances, and goes into Cove’s squad ahead of Saturday’s game with Dundee.
Cove were on the look-out for reinforcements at full-back following an ankle injury to loanee Brody Paterson, which looks set to rule him out for the rest of the season.
To facilitate the move going through, Hibernian have taken back defender Kyle McClelland and freed up a domestic loan spot for Cove to complete the deal.
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