Buckie Thistle boss Graeme Stewart believes character will be key as his side chase Breedon Highland League title glory.
The first of the Jags’ four remaining games is against Forres Mechanics at Mosset Park this afternoon.
If Buckie win all of their remaining fixtures – which are against the Can-Cans, Strathspey Thistle, Formartine United and fellow championship challengers Brechin City – they will be champions.
Stewart said: “It’s in our hands and now it comes down to fitness, how much you want it and all those cliches.
“You can forget quality to an extent – it’s do you want to run through a brick wall? Do you want to do the hard yards?
“It comes down to attitude and professionalism. I’ve been in league winning teams and that’s what it comes down to.
“At this point of the season you also need character and I know we’ve got that in abundance.
“If we don’t win the league, it won’t be down to lack of character or lack of effort.
“This the crucial point and we don’t want to be having any regrets.”
Forres ended a 10-game winless run with victory against Keith last weekend and captain Martin Groat believes that success was a timely boost ahead of facing Buckie.
The 28-year-old added: “We’ve got a good changing room and everyone is learning as a group.
“We knew if we stuck together and worked hard we’d come out of the bad spell.
“The boys have been working hard in training.
“It can be difficult to put it in when the results aren’t going your way, but credit to all the boys, they’ve been knocking their pans in and it paid off last week.
“We’ve got to try to reach those levels every week.”
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