FALKIRK defender Lee Bullen believes the new-look Bairns are ready to click into top gear after a stuttering start to the Clydesdale Bank Premier League season.
Bullen was one of a number of high-profile signings made by John Hughes in the summer, with former Scotland internationals Jackie McNamara and Neil McCann being joined by released Aberdeen striker Steve Lovell and former Livingston midfielder Burto
n O'Brien.
Injuries, a difficult fixture list and indifferent form has prevented the Westfield outfit from kicking off their campaign in the style they had hoped.
However, following last weekend's 2-1 victory over Hearts – Falkirk's first points of the season – Bullen insists the players are finally coming to terms with the changes.
He said: "I've really enjoyed it. The football has been really good and the gaffer's been brilliant. We've had our ups and downs and I've had to get used to the style of football the gaffer wants to play.
"He encourages attacking and wants to put on a show for the supporters. When it all clicks into place, it's great to play in.
"There are going to be ups and downs because five or six new players have come in. But it's up to us to believe in his methods and it's getting easier and easier by the game.
"We're getting more and more confident and trusting in each other as a group of players and we are getting to know each others' strengths and weaknesses."
Falkirk could hand a debut to new recruit Sean Lynch, the former Hibs midfielder who this week joined on an 18-month contract, when they travel to Paisley to face St Mirren today.
Gus MacPherson's side will be buoyed by their first league win of the season against Inverness last weekend. St Mirren midfielder Jack Ross is determined to build on that against his former club,
but rather than worrying about the bottom of the league, Ross insists Saints are more concerned about challenging for a top-six berth.
Ross said: "Right now you don't get easy games in this league. The last two or three years there seems to have been one team in particular cut off from everyone else. That doesn't seem to be the case this year, although it's obviously early days. We've probably not started as well as we wanted, and we need to rectify that as soon as possible.
"Fingers crossed we're involved more towards the top six though. All you want as a player is for your club to progress. We've given ourselves a bit of a platform and I'd like to think we could build on that."
Meanwhile, Saints midfielder Craig Molloy has joined Second Division Stirling Albion on loan until the end of 2008.
The full article contains 464 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
