Peterhead manager Jim McInally says the returning Ben Armour has a big role to play in the League 1 run-in.
The Blue Toon have 12 fixtures left as they battle to avoid relegation.
Saturday’s game against Airdrieonians at Balmoor is the first of three matches in eight days. Ninth-placed Forfar visit the north-east three days later before the Buchan outfit make the trip to bottom club Stranraer on Saturday week.
Armour, who can be used as a striker or a wide player, is back after three weeks out with a hamstring injury.
Manager McInally said: “Ben will have an important part to play in the next few games.
“We have to remember as well that Derek Lyle is 39 and we need to be careful with him.
“As a result we need Ben and we need Aidan Smith to step up and contribute.
“It’s all hands to the pump for us and it’s pleasing that Jamie Stevenson is almost there as well so apart from him we’ve got no injury problems.”
Armour scored the winner against Dumbarton on January 25 but the 21-year-old pulled his hamstring minutes after netting.
McInally hopes he can pick up where he left off and added: “Ben gives everything he’s got for the team. As a striker he holds the ball up well.
“I said in the weeks before he scored his goal that he might be better in a wide area. And with Ben you can play him in a wide area or through the middle and he gives you his all.
“That goal might just be the wee boost for him and he never got the chance to kick on from it, so hopefully he can now.”
With Peterhead just two points clear of the League 1 relegation zone McInally says he will be going with his tried and test options.
January signings like Steven Boyd and Andrew McCarthy are still searching for match sharpness and McInally said: “We’re at the stage where it’s horses for courses now. We have players that are chasing fitness.
“Players like Steven Boyd need more match fitness, but he’s signed for next season and right now we need to make sure we survive and then worry about getting a good pre-season into people.
“So as a result we need to use people accordingly.
Andrew McCarthy is another player in the same boat, I’ve got a squad of players that I’m really happy with – but some of them are chasing their tail.
“Now isn’t the time to experiment and get them up to speed, so between now and the end of the season it will be horses for courses and trying to get the job done.”
