Peter Murphy believes today's opponents Cowdenbeath are "unfortunate" to have found themselves rooted to the foot of the Scottish League Two table.

The Blue Brazil, who appointed former Rangers, Dundee United and St Johnstone player Gary Bollan as their new manager on Tuesday, have taken five points from their first 12 league matches and won only once.

In a club statement, Cowdenbeath chairman Donald Findlay said Bollan will offer "an absolute wealth of experience and great knowledge of the players and teams in our division" as they aim to climb the table.

And Annan player-manager Murphy knows his team cannot underestimate the basement boys this afternoon (3pm kick-off).

"Cowdenbeath have been unfortunate," Murphy, Carlisle United's record outfield appearance-maker, said. "They have lost quite a few games by just the one goal.

"Maybe they lost their discipline a little on Saturday [having two players sent off in a 3-1 defeat at home to Elgin City] because they didn't have a manager."

Murphy's seventh-placed side will be without defenders Steve Swinglehurst and long-serving Peter Watson through suspension, although the Black and Golds boss knows a good run could see them climb the table.

Athletic have taken 15 points from 12 games but are only two points behind Berwick Rangers and seven points adrift of Stenhousemuir who occupy the final play-off spot.

"You see week in, week out that pretty much all teams are beating each other," Murphy said.

"If you get a run together, you can start climbing the table.

"But, at the same time, if you are losing games narrowly like Cowdenbeath, you can end up at the bottom of the table."

The two teams' most recent meeting come at Galabank at the end of September, Annan claiming a narrow 1-0 victory. Aidan Smith scored the only goal of the game.