Peterhead midfielder Jamie Stevenson insists his club has the desire and the stamina required to win the League 2 title this season.
It is neck and neck at the top of the division with the Blue Toon, who finished runners-up to Montrose last season, two points behind leaders Edinburgh City.
Stevenson believes the 10 games his club will play in the next two months will be pivotal in determining his club’s title aspirations.
Stevenson, whose side host Annan Athletic today, said: “December and January are two massive months in the season and we want to be top of the pile by the end of it. We’ve done really well so far but Edinburgh City have been getting results as well and the next four or five weeks will be a crucial period for the club.
“Balmoor is a place teams don’t like coming to and we have to use that to our advantage. Annan have got a long trip to our place on Saturday and we don’t want it to be an enjoyable day out for them. We want to play well and take the three points which will set us up for two huge away games at Berwick and Edinburgh City.”
The standard set by the top two clubs in the league has been excellent so far with City having taken 30 points from a possible 36 while Peterhead are only two points worse off. The two clubs have also played a game less than the rest of the league and will play their game in hand when they face each other at Ainslie Park on Tuesday, December 11.
Stevenson is pleased with the form of his club but knows it will be challenging maintaining the results for the entire campaign.
He said: “When you are constantly chasing a team it is natural that the first thing you want to know at full-time is how your rivals got on and you are always hoping they slip up.
“Both teams have done brilliantly but it is really difficult to sustain the form we’re both in for a whole season.
“It becomes really demanding physically as the season wears on but we have a great squad, good depth and goals in the team. We know we have an important run of games coming up but we believe in ourselves.”
Jim McInally’s side exited the Scottish Cup following a 3-0 home loss to Morton in Tuesday’s replay but Stevenson has urged his side to take heart from their two games against the Ton and use it as a motivator in their promotion challenge this season.
He said: “There are positives we can take from the two games against Morton. Apart from our finishing we more than matched them in the matches and as the manager said we should take a lot of confidence from that into the league.
“We know how good we can be and we’ve run a Championship club close across 180 minutes. What we have to do is try to play at that level consistently in the league.”
