Dunfermline manager Jimmy Calderwood believes Livingston's new foreign imports have needed time to adjust to the pace of the Scottish Premier League.

But the East End Park boss insists they are now beginning to find their feet and will push his side all the way to the finishing line for third spot this season.

Livingston stumbled at the start of the race as manager Jim Leishman brought in new faces to compensate for the loss of David Fernandez to Celtic in the summer.

But his players appear to have turned the corner following last week's 5-1 demolition of Motherwell at Fir Park.

They are still eight points behind Dunfermline and only four places off the bottom, but Calderwood expects them to be breathing down his neck between now and the end of the campaign.

Calderwood said: "Last week's defeat to Celtic dented the goal average a bit but we have got to build that up again.

"We've had it before and we will go into another very difficult game with confidence high. Livingston are one of the main contenders again for the top six.

"We are hoping to be up there as well so that's how important this game is.

"We've been in third place virtually all season and it's been between us and Hearts.

"It's only 12 games gone in the season but it was a matter of time before Livingston came back into form because they are a good team.

"They weren't third for nothing last year and they obviously lost Fernandez who was very important for them. They will be pushing for third again.

"They've got new lads in and it's a very difficult place to come and play football in Scotland because of the pace of the game.

"But they are getting used to it now and it's going to be a very difficult game for us."

Livingston boss Jim Leishman equally admires the job Calderwood has done with his former club.

But the Almondvale boss has warned his Pars counterpart that the Fife team could be arriving in West Lothian at the wrong time.

Leishman said: "Dunfermline are a strong team, defensively, and their two forwards - Craig Brewster and Stevie Crawford - are playing at the top of their form.

"They're in third position and rightly so. They've got a good balance and shape about them.