Airdrie defender Cammy Ballantyne denies Saturday’s visit to Dunfermline is an early title clash, but says a win over the “title favourites” would put down a marker in League One.
Ballantyne, 25, reckons full-time Pars are the team to beat this term, but says Airdrie go there full of confidence after hitting the summit on goal-difference from their rivals, following a 2-0 win at home to Alloa.
He told the Advertiser: “It’s a chance to put down a marker.
“It’s very early, there’s still a lot of games to be played.
“But the way people are talking, and you see things in the papers and stuff that ‘it’s going to be between these two teams’, but there are still lots of other good teams in the league.
“It’s just another game for us to win, but if we can go there, to another full-time team, and get three points then great.
“But that’s the mentality that we have. Every game we go into we want to win.
“So to go there to a club like Dunfermline, a club who will be favourites for the league, to go there and get a result would be great. It’s a chance to show what both clubs are about.
“In the first round of fixtures you’re always trying to suss out who’s doing what, and to get them first away and both of us top of the table, is great.
“It’s still very early, you can’t read into the league too much, but you’d rather have the points now than having to chase them.
“That’s what the manager keeps saying to us, he felt they were always chasing last season, because they lost their first three or something. It’s good to get the points on the board so you’re not chasing, but you’ve got people chasing you instead.”
Former Dundee United youth Ballantyne, who moved from Montrose in the summer, says Airdrie are playing well, with three wins and a draw from their four games taking them to the top of the pile on goal difference.
But he says they’re still looking for improvement.
He added: “It was great to get the three points against Alloa. You’re never going to have easy games, in this league anyway.
“In terms of our job at the back, defensively we’ve kept three clean sheets out of four, and we’re creating enough chances – it’s just about us being more ruthless.
“That’s us being over-critical, but you always strive to get better.
“We’re not just thinking we can turn up to any game and win, you’ve got to work hard for it.”
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