KEVIN O'HARA insists that Dunfermline's next game is their biggest one as they look to maintain their push for the League One title.

The 24-year-old, who scored for the reserves in their 3-0 Reserve League Cup, semi-final win over Queen of the South on Tuesday, said that their memorable win over Falkirk has been put to bed ahead of today's clash with FC Edinburgh.

Last midweek, a 2-0 win in front of 9,530 at KDM Group East End Park put James McPake's side eight points clear of their rivals at the top of the table, with nine games left.

The Pars were denied the chance to extend the gap last weekend, when their trip to Peterhead was postponed, but they'll seek to, at worst, maintain the gap against a capital side that they have beaten three times from three meetings so far this season.

"You see the crowd that was at the stadium that night as well, the atmosphere and beating Falkirk, that's what everybody wanted going into that game, and it did put us in a better position," O'Hara told Press Sport.

"We had to be humble a wee bit and realise that there's still a lot of football to be played, and that's what we've done.

"We've worked hard every day since then to make sure we achieve what we want.

"We can't wait until Saturday comes around, and it's the same as every other game - we have to take it one game at a time. Our biggest game is the Edinburgh one, then it follows on to the next week.

"Edinburgh are a good side. They're up near the top of the table for a reason. I know the coaching staff there really well, Alan Maybury and Mark Kerr. I worked with them when I was younger at Falkirk, and I thought they were excellent. They've got them well drilled and that's why they are where they are in the league.

"They'll probably try and frustrate us, but we've got to be patient and keep doing what we believe in, and the stuff that we've been working on all season, the work rate, and being ruthless in both boxes. Hopefully that will get us the three points."

O'Hara was pleased to get some game time midweek, following the Balmoor call-off, and continued: "It was frustrating the game got called off on Saturday.

"I think Peterhead tried their best to get the game on, but obviously it snowed at night again, so can I got the game called off. It was good to get some minutes with the reserves, but I think there was a lot of first team boys playing in the reserves, and it's been like that throughout the season. It's always a good run, and if you're if you're not getting a game for the first team, then you can use the reserves to to get the minutes in your legs.

"Obviously, as I said, it's good to get the minutes in the legs, and it's also good to help the younger ones are that are coming through. To play with players from the first team, it helped me when I was younger, so it's obviously gonna help them as well. But as you say it's it's good to get minutes in the legs and, obviously, when you're called upon for the first team, that you're ready to go."

Boss McPake is anticipating a tough test this afternoon, adding: "What they've done this season coming up, and I think two of the games we've played them in they could've jumped over us and went top of the league, shows you successful they've been coming up.

"Alan Maybury and Mark Kerr being in there, they've got an experienced squad as well. Liam Fontaine's someone I worked with at Dundee, I played against him at Bristol City, and he's a fantastic player with a great attitude, with the levels he's played at, and he's still doing it at 37.

"Maybs knows the game really well, Mark Kerr's been a manager in his own right and, for me, was very unlucky at Ayr United at the time and the change of ownership.

"They're in very good hands. It's a chance for them to try and cement their play off place as well, and they'll want to come and be the first to beat us at East End Park.

"It's going to be a really tough game, but it's the same answer every week - all focus is on how we can hurt them and stop them over the 95 minutes, or whatever it may be.

"If we do that, then we're hopeful we'll get a positive result."