Four in a Row

The Gretna ground sharing agreement provides the explanation for this unusual happening. There are three homes and one 'away' fixture coming up as follows- Inverness, Kilmarnock, Gretna away(!) and Hearts. If we can find a decent run of form on our own patch in the next few weeks we could have a great platform to build on for the rest of the season.

With one win on the board already spirits are high at Fir Park and there must be some confidence that the new training routines and tactical changes might deliver success.

There will be lots of speculation about a target from the home run. Surely two wins and a draw have to be the minimum that would see us in a comfortable mid-table position? More than seven from a possible twelve would be superb. We might even increase our home gates if a successful run appears. On the other hand anything less than half marks would be a disappointment and could suggest that we might be in for a struggle in the bottom half.

Inverness are first on the list and we will have to upset the trend if something is to be taken from this one. They have visited us six times and won five. What better way to kick off the quartet that be banishing the bogey.

Games against Kilmarnock are normally closely fought affairs but home advantage normally gives an edge. This game takes place in under a fortnight and the visitors already have a long casualty list after their opener at Parkhead. We must have a chance against Killie.

The Gretna game should (in theory) be an away banker. We will have the Cooper and East stands and the vast majority of the crowd. There should be no doubt that we will have the better and fitter players. A professional performance should deliver the goods.

We finish the home run with a Monday night fixture against Hearts. Who knows what opposition they will provide? It seems certain that they will be without Scotland's number one in goal and they must be weaker without him.

It will be important that the management find the right balance between self belief and over confidence but with the good showing at Love Street still fresh in the memory there is every reason to take a positive attitude into this run of games at Fir Park.