ALLOA Athletic head to Kirkcaldy this evening for their rearranged SPFL Championship clash with Raith Rovers and manager Jack Ross believes it is a game they should be looking to win.

The game was in danger of being postponed for a second time after overnight rain waterlogged the Stark's Park pitch but, after passing an afternoon inspection, the game goes ahead as planned.

The Wasps haven't played a game since their derby clash with Falkirk on January 2, but the gaffer reckons that break has done his side the world of good.

Ross told Advertiser Sport: “The break has been ideal to get some extra sessions with the players over this rest period for us. I think people sometimes think you can wave a magic wand in two sessions and make wholesale changes, but that is simply not the case.

"For me, it is more about building that relationship with my players and trying to get the best from them. I am a big believer in working closely with players to get the best from them and so it is important to get the man-management side of it right. So the break has been good to allow me to get to know them a lot better in that sense.

“The Raith game is very much one that we are looking to go and win. I watched their games with Hibs and I thought they were unlucky in both games.

"There is no doubt they're a good team with some good players. I know some of them very well, but I still believe it is a match that we can go and win.

"The team have to show belief and produce their best form on the night and if we can get the fortune going with us as well then I fully believe we can win the game. If we apply ourselves like we did in the Falkirk game then we give ourselves the best chance.”

Alloa will be without star striker Michael Chopra for the trip to Fife as the former Newcastle hitman continues to recover from an ankle injury, but young strikers Isaac Layne and Scott Hynd have been included in the squad.

Defender Jason Marr remains a doubt for the game and Michael Doyle will not be included in the squad after he turned down a new deal with the club.

But in-form Northern Irishman Michael Duffy, who has just extended his loan period with the club until the end of the season, will be included and is looking to continue on his recent run of top performances.

The Celtic forward is now eager to get back to action and kick on in the second half of the season and he says they will take confidence from their previous run-ins with Raith this term.

Duffy said: “The last time we went to Raith we were the better team for the first half then their player scored a top class strike from long range and we were guilty of letting our heads drop.

"We are in a lot better frame of mind now and we can be confident going there given how well we played for spells that day. Hopefully this time around we can get the break and grab a crucial result.

“I am delighted to be staying at Alloa for the rest of the season and hopefully we can have a better second half of the season. I am now just looking forward to getting back involved in games and hopefully I can kick on myself and add a few goals now.”

Meanwhile, Robbie Crawford, also included in tonight's squad after extending his loan deal from Rangers, says he and his team mates have nothing to fear from Ray McKinnon's men.

The midfielder added: “They have been on quite a good run and are in the playoff places at the minute. They are an experienced team who are difficult to break down but we are hoping that we will have enough to go there and get the result. We have certainly proved we can more than match them already this season.”