ATHLETIC boss James McPake has admitted that Saturday's match at Airdrieonians is crucial to his side's play-off hopes but isn't looking upon it as must-win.

Dunfermline head to the Excelsior Stadium six points and one place behind the Diamonds, who sit fourth and in the final Premiership promotion play-off slot, with four games to go.

A defeat against ex-Par Rhys McCabe's outfit would leave them nine adrift with only nine points left to play for, but McPake wants his men to focus on producing a good performance, as opposed to thinking it's a game they have to win.

"I don’t know if I’ve ever described a game that way, either as a player or as a coach," he said.

"I’m not looking at it that way, genuinely.

Dunfermline Press:

"It’s an important game. They’re the team that are above us in the league, but there are also teams close below us as well who will be thinking they can win and get themselves out of a bit of bother.

"I’m totally focused on going down there and getting the performance right. I believe if we do that, we’ve a chance of getting the three points, and then we see what happens from there."

READ MORE: 'It's a game we're looking forward to': Pars prepare for crucial Diamonds clash

On the possibility of moving to within three points of their opponents if they can secure a victory, McPake continued: "That all adds to the game.

"The outside noise of the game is they’re the team directly above us and they’re the team that will be desperate to cement their place in the play-offs. They’re in it at the minute and they know the team directly below them is us.

"When these kind of situations come around it then becomes a narrative around the game.

"People might say it’s a must-win for us. But it will be the same for Airdrie, because they know in their heads if they win it then it takes them outwith the reach of lots of teams.

"I say every week this is the most important game. The most important game is your next game.

"Just for ourselves, we want to continue the run of form."

McPake, meanwhile, said he will give Chris Hamilton "until the last minute" to prove his fitness ahead of the Airdrie clash.

The 22-year-old was taken off during the recent win at Arbroath and missed the weekend draw at home to Partick Thistle.

"We are monitoring him. He is feeling a lot better and we will give him right until the last minute," the Pars boss added.

"We will certainly take no chances at all with it being a head injury. There is no way we would risk it."