Peterhead striker Russell McLean is determined to help his team hit the top spot in League 2 once more this afternoon.
McLean has had to wait almost two months to see his side at the top of the table, with victory at Stirling Albion on December 5 helping the Blue Toon to the summit before two postponements later in the month allowed Montrose to regain the initiative.
The Gable Endies, who have played two games more than Peterhead, visit Balmoor today with a one-point lead and McLean is eager to regain the lead against the side which his club beat 6-2 on December 30.
He said: “We’ve had to wait a long time for this chance to go top again due to postponements and cup ties but now the Montrose game has come around again we really want to take the chance to move above them again.
“We’d love a repeat of the last time we played them at their place. I don’t know if it was an off-day from them but we were brilliant, although I’m not sure too many would have predicted the scoreline. I’d happily settle for a repeat but I’d take a scrappy 1-0 win, too. The same three points are on offer either way and that’s all we want.”
Peterhead moved to within a point courtesy of a hard fought 3-2 win at Berwick on Tuesday as the Blue Toon continued to keep the pressure on Montrose.
McLean knows the Blue Toon are favourites to win the title but he insists the tag is not one which is worrying anyone at his club.
The former East Kilbride forward said: “Berwick on Tuesday was another one of those horrible games on a difficult pitch.
“When Berwick came back from 2-0 down to 2-2 we could easily have chucked it but we dug in and managed to come up with a winner and ulti-mately it’s the three points that matter.
“No one will remember at the end of the season how we got them.
“We’re favourites to win every game we play in. We were even favourites when we played Dumbarton in the Scottish Cup a couple of weeks ago and I thought we were unlucky not to beat them.
“We don’t mind that as we believe we can beat anyone on our day. We’ve beaten Hearts and Raith Rovers in cup competitions this season and at home we fancy our chances against anyone.
“Teams don’t like coming up to Balmoor as it’s a long trek for them and when they do get here the last thing they want is to leave after suffering a heavy defeat. They raise their game at our place but we enjoy the challenge.”