Jim Jefferies on Friday

02/05/14: JJ - "We want to give ourselves the best chance to have everybody fit.

Jim Jefferies has said that his team against Rangers will include just one player making his first team debut:-

"There will be some guys in the team who have played a few games. We have to do that because we cannot run the risk of having players sent off or getting injured. I have still not made up my mind about starting eleven (for the play offs) and there will be possibles starting. I thought Shaun Byrne and Lewis Spence did well when they came on last Saturday, they gave me food for thought.

"Shaun is showing signs of getting back to his best. He had a great spell when he came on last week. I thought wee Spency did great when he came on and it is good to give them a run against Rangers, obviously better opposition, and just see how they handle it."

Jefferies claims that he is open minded about his team selection for the play offs. It will depend upon who we get, how we set up anyway.

"We want to give ourselves the best chance to have everybody fit. I would probably have put Callum Morris on the bench tomorrow but I think he is feeling a wee bit tight. I put Page on at Ayr United the last time so I will probably put him on the bench again.

   
The old and the young could face Rangers: John Potter, Craig Dargo, Lewis Spence and Finn Graham

"We are not going out thinking that we are like lambs to the slaughter. It is a great occasion and the result is not the most important thing. If we put in a performance, the result will be close anyway. We have to do things right, as long as they are disciplined. When I told Ally the last time we met, he said that he would play a few as well.

"I would hate to go out, put in a good performance and lose a couple of players in getting a good result. Then suddenly I could be left high and dry for the most important games. We have to give ourselves the best chance in the play offs because they are the major games now.

"We have achieved our target of being in the play offs. Now we have to give it our best shot to try and get promoted."

After losing the services of Jordan Moore, Lawrence Shankland and Ryan Wallace, Jefferies lamented the lack of strikers available to him:-

"We have had to rely on young Faissal coming through, but he is only a young kid. Allan Smith is still in the early stages of his career and Thommo has had to play as a makeshift striker. That's maybe one of the reasons that we have not scored as freely as we have. These boys will work hard to put it right."

The Manager did not go as far as naming his starting eleven but hinted that Under 20s coaches John Potter and Craig Dargo could feature. Finn Graham has been on the first team bench and could get his opportunity against Rangers. He felt that his squad is far better prepared for the play offs than his young squad was last year.

"A lot of the players will have gained from the experience of last year so we are hopeful that we are better equipped to do it. We need them to perform on the night, do the right things and give yourselves the best possible chance to finish it off at the weekend."