Peterhead midfielder Hamish Ritchie is counting on the experienced campaigners to lead the way as his side bid to overturn a semi-final first leg deficit and reach the League One play-off final.
The Blue Toon trail 2-1 to Spartans following Tuesday’s semi-final first leg at Ainslie Park, but Ritchie believes the play-off nous of team-mates can give his side the ammunition they need to win the tie at Balmoor Stadium on Saturday.
Rory McAllister, Jason Brown, Scott Ross, Stuart McKenzie, Jordon Brown, Ryan Strachan and Conor O’Keefe all have played in the play-offs previously.
He said: “I’m 27 now and I’ve only had two full seasons in the SPFL, which is not much.
“But there are experienced boys in the team who have experience of the play-offs and that will be massive.
“It counts for a lot having guys who have been there and done it before to help you through it.
“We know how hard Balmoor is to come to and our record at home has been quite good this season.
“We haven’t lost too many games at home and we have to remember we’re only at half-time.
“The first goal will be crucial – if we can get that we can kick on and look to score more.
“Spartans will obviously have a gameplan of their own to try to nullify us, but it should be a good game.”
Ritchie ready for a day of tension at Balmoor
This is Ritchie’s first experience of the play-offs, and while the excitement is palpable for supporters, he believes he will only enjoy it if his side go on to win promotion back to League One.
He said: “It’s hard when your whole season comes down two four games in two weeks.
“You work so hard across the course of the season.
“It can be exciting and the games have been close across the play-offs in all the leagues, so it’s going to be an exciting weekend.
“The excitement of winning the play-offs would be amazing, but it is hard to do it.
“There are not many who win through the play-offs, so to be able to do that and look back on it in my career would be great.”
Blue Toon midfielder will not use penalty drama as motivation
The Blue Toon, who finished runners-up behind champions Stenhousemuir, in League Two were disappointed at conceding an injury-time penalty to Spartans on Tuesday.
But Ritchie insists there is little point in dwelling on the dramatic finale, which also saw his side have a penalty claim of their own turned down, as they look to set-up a final meeting against League One’s ninth-placed finishers Stirling Albion or Dumbarton, who finished fourth in League Two.
The former Inverurie Locos midfielder said: “It was deflating to lose the game, but we’re only halfway through the tie and we’re confident we can turn it around back at Balmoor.
“We executed the gameplan really well. Ainslie Park is a tricky place to go and the games against Spartans this season have been really close.
“We were unlucky with the penalty decision in the end. I’ve seen footage back and there doesn’t seem to be anything in it.
“It’s obviously disappointing when a decision like that goes against you, but that’s football.
“There’s nothing we can do other than look to change our luck in the second leg.”
