Lothian Thistle have their eyes on a top half finish

In-form Lothian visit Penicuik on Sunday as part of Groundhop weekend with the chance to leapfrog their hosts should they take all three points. Harding expects the home side to be fired up.

“Sunday's game will be a good game, it's an incentive for us to go and leapfrog them if we win,” said Harding, who’s side have won their last three games.

“When you get a new manager coming in it always gives teams a lift, because players have a point to prove so they are part of their plans. I'm expecting there will be a reaction from Penicuik and with it being the GroundHop game, I would like to think there will be a good crowd there.

“It's the same squad, nothing has changed from when Stevie [McLeish] was in charge. I don't know why it is, but mentally when a new manager comes in, players up their game that little bit.

“We just want to win every game; it doesn't matter who we are playing against. I understand with any new manager, they want to hit the ground running but we aren't treating it like it's a huge event being Calum's first game in charge, it's a game of football that we need to win. We need to keep our run going.

“We've not won anything or achieved anything, but I think the run of games we've been on, it's been tough and I don't think the guys have given themselves enough credit that they have walked away with 16 points out of a possible 21.

“If we win on Sunday, it will be the first time we've been in the top half of the league. Considering the start we had to the season that would be an achievement, in our first 17 games we only took 14 points.”

Elsewhere, Tynecastle host Sauchie on Friday night, while Musselburgh Athletic entertain Broxburn Athletic on Saturday evening.