McGlynn wants to see an end to Raith’s win-lose cycle

Raith boss John McGlynn during last Saturday's win over Alloa (Pic: Fife Photo Agency)

The last nine games have seen the Stark’s Park side win five and lose four in a win-one-lose-one cycle, and McGlynn wants to see that pattern come to an end.

“It was pleasing that we were able to beat Alloa after a bad performance at Arbroath, but the downside is that if you don't, you end up going on a bad run. You always fear that could happen,” he said.

“We really need to get out of this sequence of win and lose, win and lose. It’s become a bit of an issue.

“If we had picked up one or two draws in the recent games we've lost, that would have made a significant difference.

“If we had two or three points more, we would be in a much more comfortable position.

“It was a good performance against Alloa, though. A few things that we work on in training came to fruition, which was very pleasing.

Despite sitting in the top four for the majority of the season, McGlynn refuses to rule out the risk of a return to League One until it is mathematically impossible.

“In terms of ticking boxes, the first one is to make sure that we didn't go straight back down,” said the 59-year-old.

“Now being 14 points ahead of Alloa with a better goal difference, that's probably 15 points.

“They've only got nine games left and need to win at least five of them to get 15 points and the evidence isn't really there to suggest that will happen, so I think we're now safe from going directly down. Our next tick of the box is to make sure we don't finish second bottom. We need to make sure we get enough points so that we don't go into the relegation play-off.

“What we need to do is continue to make sure we play like we did on Saturday against Alloa and not like we played against Arbroath.

“Anyone can go to Arbroath and lose 1-0. It was more the manner of the Jekyll-and-Hyde performance, going from being so good to being so bad. We need something in between.

“If we can blend our attitude and the work rate and mentality we put in, allied to the ability that we've got, then I would imagine we would win more than we would lose, but it's a tough league and we just need to take every game as it comes.”