Boss Alan Mayburgh calls on Edinburgh players to maintain promotional push

FC Edinburgh manager Alan Maybury says there is no reason why his side can't achieve a League One play-off spot this season.

The former Hearts and Hibs full-back couldn't hide his frustration as the Meadowbank outfit were held to a 2-2 draw with Montrose - John Robertson giving the hosts the lead only for the game to be turned on it's head through Craig Johnston and Rory McAllister strikes. However, Liam Fontaine salvaged a point to keep the Citizens second in the table, four adrift of leaders Dunfermline.

But Maybury is of the mindset his men can continue to send shockwaves throughout the division.

"I'm frustrated because I thought the first half we were very good and we could have been a few goals up," Maybury told the Evening News. "We had three or four really good chances, opened them up and we were doing everything we wanted. We spoke about at half-time that there was going to be a storm coming because Montrose work hard and they just don't go away. It's a really sloppy goal we gave away and that gives them a lift. We had no energy, we lost our way for 20 minutes or so and we didn't cope with it very well. But we stayed in the game and Fontaine has pulled a goal out of nothing.

Edinburgh boss Alan Maybury

"I'd rather look at the bigger picture now that we're at the halfway mark. We're sitting on 32 points, 14 points from this quarter, which is an incredible return and a reflection of how good we've been over the season. We're going to have these period where things don't go our way, but we haven't had too many of them.

"I think not having a game last weekend worked out well for us because at Clyde we only had 11 fit players and a couple of young boys on the bench so we realy needed to get some numbers back. (Callum) Tapping's back, Emmanuel Johnson and Jack Brydon so I'm glad to have them again.

"It's going to be really hard for us to stay where we are - we have punched above our weight but now we're up there we want to stay there. The first quarter we were excellent, the second we've taken a couple of draws so that's the only difference. For most part we've gone into all the games trying to win them and for the most part we've done that. I think it's a really good return, we're in a really good place.

"We need to embrace this. Don't be afraid of expectation, go and give it a go. We've just come up, we want to stay, but even more why don't we go and try and make the play-offs. We want to play forward, we want to score goals and there's not too many games that we haven't scored in. We've seen every team in the division twice now so we know what to expect. We may not achieve a play-off place but we'll sure in hell give it a go."

Maybury hopes to freshen his squad next month.

He added: "Hopefully we'll be able to mix things up a little bit next month. There doesn't need to be wholesale changes, the players here have done a good job but we have maybe limped over the line these last few weeks.The chairman and the board have given me great backing so it's time to really kick on in the second half of the season."