East Kilbride boss Kevin Rutkiewicz admits his side’s home form must improve after they lost for the third time in eight league games at K-Park this season.
Cowdenbeath struck in the 86th minute on Saturday to inflict a 1-0 defeat on 10-man Kilby, who had Jonathan Page sent off nine minutes from time for a high boot.
They are still top of the table from Rangers B by a point, having played three games more, and also one clear of Broomhill, who have played a game less than EK.
But having now suffered defeats to Cowden, Edinburgh Uni and Rangers B at K-Park, as well as drawing with East Stirling on home turf, Rutkiewicz hopes a three-week break from league action will give his side time to regroup.
He said: “We have dropped points at home and that is something we need to correct, and be more ruthless and consistent at home.
“Is there an extra pressure in front of the fans at home? Probably.
“They have obviously fallen short in dealing with that in a couple of games, but I’ve certainly seen enough in them to deal with pressure.
“The likes of games away to Celtic B, away to Broomhill and away to Tranent on the opening day of the season [when they came from behind to win].
“At the end of the day it is 11v11, wherever you are playing. But Saturday was very disappointing and it was a hard one to take.
“ We are playing with a pressure where everybody wants to take a scalp from us.
"But we’ve got a wee break from the league now until the end of October because of cup games and a week off, so it’s maybe time for us to relax a bit, recharge the batteries and enjoy some cup football.”
On Saturday EK travel to Lanark United in round two of the South Challenge Cup.
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