BRIAN McGINTY believes victory for his Irvine Meadow side at home to Petershill tomorrow would be the perfect way to bounce back from their promotion denting defeat by Darvel in midweek.

The former Rangers signing has swept into Meadow Park like a breath of fresh air and his players had sensationally yielded up just one point in seven league games prior to succumbing to a shock 4-2 defeat against their Ayrshire neighbours on Wednesday night.

That lapse was made even more damaging by promotion rivals Cumbernauld United, Renfrew, Troon and Cambuslang Rangers all picking up three points so Gints is now urging his players to recover their feelgood factor against champions elect Peasy.

He said: “The league table doesn’t lie and Petershill have been the best Super First Division team by a country mile.

“The consistency shown by Willie Patterson and his players has been nothing short of remarkable and they could clinch the title if they beat us and Cambuslang Rangers lose out at home to Troon.

“However we don't want any party celebrations to happen at our expense so we’ll be doing our utmost to ensure the champagne is kept on ice for another day.

“This is the ideal chance to repair the damage done against Darvel and I desperately want us to grab it with both hands.”

The Medda boss did not spare himself with his brutal assessment of where it all went wrong in midweek.

He said: “Everyone is to blame – myself included – because on hindsight I boobed with our team selection in thinking I could afford to rest up our team captain Ben Carson after he picked up a slight groin strain in last weekend’s 2-1 win over Larkhall Thistle.

“I felt we had a strong enough team to win the game without him but I hadn’t allowed for a lot of players thinking they just had to turn up to take the points and we got our deserved comeuppance for what was a terrible, terrible performance.

“It’s a reality check considering the winning run the guys have been on and lessons have to be learned – most of all by me – and if we had to lose one game then best it happens now when we have another nine left to put things right.

"It would be wrong to decry the players too much because they have been magnificent over the past few months but now comes a real test of character."

Injured pair Rhys Devlin and Calum Gow look set to return against Petershill however suspension again rules out former Arthurlie front man Eddie McTernan much to McGinty’s annoyance.

He said: “Eddie picked up a two-match ban for an unjustifiable red card in a recent outing against Troon but we couldn’t risk him appealing in case further games were added.

“His suspension is over after tomorrow which is a timely boost for the squad given we have three games in the next six days against Ardrossan Winton Rovers (Monday), Kello Rovers (Wednesday) and Maryhill (Saturday).

“The Winton game is in the Ayrshire Cup and I’ll probably bring in a handful of Under-21 prospects for that one and also give run-outs to myself and Stevie Aitchison with the aim of keeping players fresh for our league games.

“Automatic promotion is still within our grasp and we simply have to give it our best shot over our run-in and see how things pan out and I’ve told the boys that if we can emulate the run we had prior to playing Darvel then we will be in the Super Premier Division next season.”

McGinty reckons his signing og Junior internationalist midfielder Colin Spence could pay dividends over the coming weeks.

He added: “Spenny is well accustomed to playing massive games at this stage of the season as an Auchinleck Talbot player and I believe he could be worth his weight in gold in helping us get over the line.

“He’s settled in well as I fully expected from someone coming to play for their home town team and he just needs games to get back to his best.”

In other key clashes tomorrow, Cambuslang Rangers will be out to put Troon to the sword at Somervell Park and boost their faltering step up dreams while another couple of promotion challengers Largs Thistle and Cumbernauld United are strongly fancied to take the spoils at home to Larkhall Thistle and Shettleston respectively.

Second in the table Renfrew face a tougher hurdle in hosting the visit of Kilsyth Rangers and the same goes for another midweek loser Rutherglen Glencairn in heading deep into the Ayrshire heartlands to face Kello Rovers .

PLAYING TOMORROW (Kick Offs 2PM unless stated ): Scottish Junior Cup .Semi Finals Second Leg (2.30). Hurlford Utd(1) v Wishaw(0), Lochee Utd (1) v Auchinleck Talbot (0). McBookie.com Super Premier Division. Beith v Arthurlie, Clydebank v Kilbirnie Ladeside , Girvan v Rob Roy, Glenafton v Cumnock.McBookie.com Super First Division. Kello Rovers v Rutherglen Glencairn, Cambuslang Rangers v Troon, Darvel v Maryhill ,Largs Thistle v Larkhall Thistle, Irvine Meadow v Petershill, Renfrew v Kilsyth Rangers, Cumbernauld Utd v Shettleston. McBookie.com Central First Division.Blantyre Vics v Greenock, Lesmahagow v Benburb, Thorniewood Utd v East Kilbride Thistle , St Rochs v Glasgow Perthshire, Forth Wanderers v Port Glasgow, Shotts Bon Accord v Yoker Athletic, Neilston v Rossvale. McBookie.com Central Second Division.Dunipace v Ashfield, Newmains v Lanark Utd, Royal Albert v Johnstone Burgh, Vale of Clyde v Bellshill Athletic, Vale of Leven v Gartcairn..McBookie.com Ayrshire District League. Dalry Thistle v Irvine Vics, Craigmark v Ardeer Thistle, Lugar Boswell v Whitletts Vics.