We'll attack the warriors

The Warriors are going to be in for a battle when the Fifers arrive, with boss Barry Smith preparing his side to heap further misery on a club battling for its survival.

Points are vital for both clubs with the Fifers aiming to reinforce their play-off credentials.

And they’ll be going all out to secure the victory, according to the Bayview boss.

He said: “We’ll go into this game the same as we go into every other, and that’s setting up in a positive formation and looking to attack.

“Both sides are needing the points for different reasons so we have to make sure that we impose ourselves on the game and that our resolve is stronger than theirs.

“Where Stenhousemuir are in the league will not make this an easy game for us because they’re fighting to stay in the division.”

The Fifers go into the match sitting in fourth place and with a grip on the final remaining play-off spot.

Others are breathing heavily down their neck, though, and Queen’s Park and Albion Rovers both had a chance to cut the gap last night (Tuesday) as we were going to press.

Queen’s couldn’t make up any ground on the Fifers at the weekend when the two played out a 0-0 draw in Methil.

It wasn’t a classic by any means, but, crucially for East Fife, it chalked down another game with no side able to overthrow them in fourth.

The game was a positive reaction to a 1-0 midweek defeat to Rovers on Tuesday night.

Smith added: “We always knew Queen’s Park would be a difficult game but the boys again showed they are up for the fight.

“It wasn’t our best performance of the season.

“Going into the game on the back of the two defeats it was important we reacted properly and you could see the boys weren’t just going through the motions at the weekend.”

East Fife’s best chance fell to new recruit Alex Cooper whose second half header had to be clawed off the line by Queen’s ‘keeper Willie Muir.

Throughout the Rovers game a few days before, Cooper again posed problems in what was an impressive first start since arriving at Bayview.

Smith reckons both he, and new recruit Kieran Duffie, signed as a free agent last week, can have big parts to play between now and the end of the campaign.

“I’ve been pleased with Alex,” said Smith.

“The rest of the players are still getting to know him but you see how direct and powerful he can be when you get the ball to him.

“Kieran is a player with a lot of composure on the ball and already has a lot of experience from his time at Falkirk.

“We’re light on numbers so he’s coming in to join us at a good stage of the season.

“I’m grateful to the board for letting me bring Kieran in because financially there are only a couple of home league games left to play.”

East Fife are expecting to be without Jonathan Page and James Penrice for the weekend with Tony Wallace and Kyle Wilkie remaining on the long term injury list.

There’s better news for Mark Lamont who should train with the side this week.