Mason Hancock hopes his return from injury can help Airdrie find the victory they have been craving – and he insists their Scottish Cup tie at ‘dangerous’ Dundee North End is one they should be winning.
The Diamonds defender has been out since October with a hamstring and groin strain, but he will be available for Sunday’s tricky trip to the East Region Midlands League side.
Hancock has had to watch on from the sidelines helpless with Airdrie sinking to the bottom of the Championship and suffering an embarrassing exit in the SPFL Trust Trophy to Lowland League East Kilbride in October.
So he is determined that the Diamonds – who haven’t won since September in the SPFL Trust Trophy against Queen of the South -end their seven-game losing streak in the City of Discovery.
He said: “It is not a nice feeling being unable to help the team at a time like this, and being one of the boys who was here last season when we had a very successful time.
“Loads of injuries obviously haven’t helped us and we are still gelling as a team this season, but it is annoying knowing what I can bring to the team and having to sit in the stands every week.
“But I’m on the way back. I’ve had a good few weeks out but I had my first full session with the boys this week and I’m delighted.
“I am available for the squad this week and I will be travelling with the squad, so it will be up to the physio and the gaffer to agree a playing time for me.
“In recent weeks we’ve gotten away from how we like to play. We are almost chasing that win and getting away from the basics of football and how the manager wants us to play.
“A winning feeling is something we’ve been craving for a while now and it is amazing what a win can do for you.”
Dundee North End are sitting second in their division, four points off leaders Broughty Athletic with two games in hand, so Hancock knows they face a side high in confidence who pose a real threat.
But he still expects his side to book their place in the fourth round draw.
He added: “It is a game we should be winning at the end of the day. We should be winning comfortably, even in the circumstances we find ourselves in with bad form and injuries.
“There’s no shying away from the form we’ve been in and we are sitting bottom of the Championship.
“But this is about being mature. We are the better footballers, that is why we are playing for this club, and it is about showing our experience in the professional game and taking our gameplan to them.
“If we do that, I am very confident we can get through to the next round. But they have got nothing to lose so that makes them dangerous.”
Today’s clash is a 1pm kick-off.