Cowdenbeath are making major efforts to ensure their all-ticket, sell-out Championship clash with Rangers will go on at Central Park on Saturday.

This fixture - which was called off in January because of a frozen pitch - looked to be in doubt after more than four inches of snow fell on the Fife ground overnight on Monday/Tuesday but staff and volunteers have now cleared the playing surface.

Cowden's chief executive Alex Anderson said yesterday that special machinery was being brought in to drain the pitch and he added: "We are 99.9 per cent certain the match will go ahead on Saturday."

Cowdenbeath are badly in need of a pick-me-up after last weekend's humiliation at Tynecastle when relentless leaders Hearts put 10 past them. Under-fire manager Jimmy Nicholl has called for a major response from his side.

"We talk about character all the time and this really is a test of character," admitted Nicholl, who considered his future in the wake of the wretched capitulation. "The ones that are out on the park at the weekend against Rangers are going to have to really, really show the supporters what their made of. The supporters will be sitting waiting for them and they'll have to handle it and the supporters won't be happy with me, and I'll take responsibility and the criticism."