McAllister looks past injury to regaining ‘sharpness’ for Peterhead

Peterhead captain Rory McAllister is confident he can find his best form as he looks to put injury problems behind him.

The Blue Toon skipper made his return from a hamstring problem last Tuesday in the 0-0 draw with Formartine United in the Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Cup.

The striker then played for an hour off the bench in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to Dumbarton at Balmoor.

After the Formartine game McAllister aggravated an old ankle problem.

But the 32-year-old insists that won’t hold him back in his search to rediscover top form and fire Peterhead to League One victories.

On Saturday the Blue Toon are at home to Forfar and McAllister said: “The ankle’s OK at the moment and it was OK last Saturday for most of the game.

“The pain comes and goes, but I’m going to get a scan and I will try to manage it as best I can.

“At the end of the season I might get a clean up operation.

“I still feel I needed to do more last week (against Dumbarton) – but then as a team we needed to do more in the second half.

“I’m working as hard as I can and giving as much as I can with the ankle.

“If I could get a goal it would be brilliant and would help me push on, but if the team is winning it doesn’t matter about me.

“I just need to get a bit more match sharpness because I feel fine really.

“Before last week I hadn’t played in over three weeks so I will be all right, I’ll come good in the end.

“I’ve still got plenty of confidence when I’m playing, it’s just about getting that sharpness which will come with games.

“I know I will improve and the goals don’t move.”

McAllister hopes Peterhead have learned the lessons of last weekend’s painful loss.

Jim McInally’s side led Dumbarton 2-0 in the first period but after conceding just before half-time they were floored by two second half strikes from the Sons.

McAllister insists the League Two champions are good enough to compete with the best in Scotland’s third tier, but they will need to produce 90-minute performances rather than just 45 like last Saturday.

The Buchan talisman added: “Last Saturday was frustrating from the position we were in.

“We started well and were ahead by a couple of goals.

“Even when I came on we were still doing all right but conceding just before half-time hurt us.

“We didn’t really come out and do enough in the second half.

“But it’s about rallying together now – there’s no point in panicking.

“We’re a good enough team that we are capable of doing well this season, we just need to show that.

“Maybe we learned one of two things on Saturday. Last season in League Two it was one where we might have got away with it.

“But in this league you need to be at it for 90 minutes not just 45 or you’ll get found out.”