Falkirk to be top of the tree by Christmas says boss McKinnon

Saturday will complete the first quarter of league matches for the Bairns, after a trip to Kirkcaldy to meet the manager’s old side Raith Rovers.

But McKinnon will take stock of the standings at the festive period once half of the season has passed – and intends to have the Bairns well on top by then.

LEAGUE TABLE: Ladbrokes SPFL League One

“After Saturday it’s a quarter done, so it’s a marker but it’s also a bedding in period for some teams. Our guys are getting used to the league, used to one another but we’re in a good place.

“Christmas is the time to look at the table. That’s the period to see the top of the league and the sections of the league and you see the terms of where you are likely to be.

“Christmas is the indicator of what kind of season you’re going to have and we need to be right up on top by then, and if we need to make changes in January we’ll try to do that for the best of the team.”

And despite all this talk of December 25 – which is 12 and a half weeks away – the Bairns are certainly not in the spirit of giving at the moment with the best defensive record in Britain.

MATCH STATS: Raith Rovers v Falkirk - preview

Only two goals have been conceded so far and McKinnon was keen to emphasise the achievement.

He added: “I thought it was the best in Scotland but best in Britain is phenomenal. That’s so good to hear and good for the players to hear because they will take a bigger incentive to keep that record going.

“Three games without losing a goal is a great platform to win games. We’re happy with how things are, though maybe a little frustrated with how the game ended on Saturday and how we created so many chances without taking any of them.

“That’s all we have to change but it was a tough match, East Fife are a good settled side and they’ve had continuity in their squad, Raith Rovers have had that for a year or so now too.

“It was a tough game on Saturday and it will be tough again this week.”