JAMES MCPAKE knows they can kick-start their season and get off the bottom of the table if his team "play to their potential" at Hamilton on Saturday. 

The Pars have endured a rough start to the Championship campaign, winless in their first two games including a home defeat to bitter rivals Falkirk two weeks ago.

Dunfermline have had two weeks to stew over that loss with McPake stating it did at least give some of his players time to recover.

He said: “We’ve been in football long enough that you’re sometimes one performance or one goal away from that good feeling.

“We were glad of the break as we had some players with niggles and now the squad will be healthier on Saturday.

“We got to see Hamilton down at Ayr and they were unlucky that game.

“We’re desperate to turn our fortunes around. We know we need performance levels to go up but if we play to our potential, then we can get the result.

“That’s the focus over the past couple of weeks – performing well and we believe we can come away with a positive result.”

Hamilton sit one point above Dunfermline in ninth place.

Accies haven’t had the dream return to the Championship they had planned, drawing 0-0 with Livingston before being beaten 3-2 by Ayr.