COUNTY football ace Dean Brett has endured a difficult first half of the season with Cowdenbeath.

Brett, who is from Tranent, suffered relegation to League Two at the end of last season, as the Fife side lost a two-leg play-off against Queens Park.

Player/manager Colin Nish departed Central Park, with Liam Fox leaving his post as a youth coach with Hearts to take on the role of head coach.

Brett was one of only four players who remained with the club, and believes the overhaul of the squad has made for a difficult start to the season.

He told Courier Sport; "It's a brand new team, with only the four of us from last season, so it has taken a while.

"We've also got a full squad who haven't played at this level."

Despite languishing second from bottom in the table, they are only six points behind fifth-place Berwick Rangers.

Brett is confident his side can turn their fortunes around and climb the table.

He added: "Our goal is still to win promotion, and I think with confidence we'll get there in the end.

"Once you get two or three wins in a row you can move a good five or six places, so that's our aim with our run of fixtures."

The 23-year-old also look heart from last season's champions East Fife, who were in a similar position 12 months ago, before they stormed to the League Two title.

Brett added: "East Fife struggled last season until December then they went on to win the league.

"It's maybe unrealistic to say we will win the league but, who knows."

He admitted it has been a difficult time for the club, and for the county ace, who only recently returned from injury, but he is hoping for better in the second half of the campaign.

"It's been very frustrating because we know we have a squad who can all play higher and we should be getting much better results.

"It's also been injured for the last three weeks and only played last Saturday [against Berwick Rangers].

"We've got a good run of games for us to take points."

That run begins when Brett's Cowden side welcome Clyde to Central Park next month.