Airdrie boss Rhys McCabe denies beating Dunfermline a week on Saturday will put a marker down for their League One title intentions, but hopes a week off will allow injured stars the chance to recover for the clash.
McCabe knows the visit by league-leaders Dunfermline on December 17 is going to be viewed as a big game, as the Diamonds try to eat into the 10-point gap between the summit and sixth spot.
In the meantime, those who have played through a punishing schedule will be given time to recover, while they can put comeback stars Gabby McGill, Adam Frizzell and Josh Rae through their paces.
McCabe, whose side drew with the Pars in August, said: “It’s how you see it, and there’s a lot of football still to be played.
“If we go and get a result at Dunfermline, you could lose the next week – football is a funny game. It’s one of those where I never get too high and I never get too low.
“I can see from an outsiders’ point of view that it’s a big game, but we take every game as it comes and focus on one at a time.
“It’s the only game we can impact now.”
McCabe added: “It’s a good chance for us to get some rest and recovery into the lads who have played a lot of games, and have probably been on the edge in the last few weeks, considering the squad size.
“It also gives us a chance to get some training into the lads like Adam Frizzell and Gabby McGill, these lads who are coming back from an injury.
“There are pros and cons to both, but I’ll be watching games anyway, so it’s no rest for myself.”
McCabe was pleased with a point from third-place Falkirk on Saturday, as Callum Smith levelled out Kai Kennedy’s first-half opener.
Sub Gabby McGill had a chance to snatch the points for Airdrie late on, but that was shortly before only a superb save by Dean Lyness prevented Falkirk striker Juan Alegria from doing the same.
He said: “It’s a good point, away from home, especially against Falkirk, who are a good side.
“I’ll never be someone who is happy to sit in for a point, or take a scoreline – I always try to win.
“A lot of managers would be pulling their hair out, but I’m asking the boys to get the three points, and if it takes 95 minutes or 70, it’s the way I ask them to play. Fair play to them, they responded.”
Follow Lanarkshire Live Sport on Twitter via @LanLiveSport, like us on Facebook or find us on Instagram for the latest sports news, pictures and video.
