Ryan Strachan confident Cove Rangers will get their edge back

Cove defender Ryan Strachan is confident his side’s sharpness will return soon after Saturday’s stalemate against East Fife.

Mitch Megginson missed a penalty as Cove followed up their 1-1 draw at Partick Thistle on their competitive return following the suspension with a 0-0 draw at Bayview.

Strachan said: “It’s still really early after coming back.

“There’s rustiness even though we’re a fit bunch.

“Defences were on top, but we still had a couple of half chances and so did East Fife, especially towards the end.

“East Fife are on a good run of form and are competing in the league, but so are we, so we’re reasonably happy with the draw and the clean sheet.

“Every team will beat every other in this league, it’s a very tough league and we’re all capable, so it’s about getting points.

“If you’re not going to get points then you can’t maintain form, but we’re doing it and are still in the top four.”

Neither side could really boast about bossing any point of the match with play swinging largely from end to end.

Cove had their chance to take all three points when Liam Watt tripped Connor Smith inside the box.

Megginson stepped up, but Brett Long swatted the spot-kick away before getting back on his feet quickly to keep out the rebound.

East Fife had a chance in the dying seconds when they hit the net through Aaron Dunsmore, only for ref Mike Roncone to haul the play back for an earlier foul.

From the free-kick, Ryan Wallace crashed his drive off the bar.

Cove boss Paul Hartley, whose side host Airdrieonians tomorrow night, said: “I thought we were better in the first half than the second, it was scrappy at times.

“We’ve had two tough away games so far at Partick and East Fife.

“We’ll take the point and another good thing is the clean sheet – we looked fairly solid at times.

“The changes were made at the right times, because we have a game on Tuesday night.

“It’s a funny period, because we’ve had 10 weeks off and we’re trying to get the players up to speed again.

“It’s all very well doing training, but it’s the moments in the game which will win you it.”