Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Cairn prepare for a cup unknown
Striker Arbuckle wants to lock down good run
Striker Gary Arbuckle insists Gartcairn don’t fear the unknown as they face Aberdeenshire outfit Maud in the Junior Cup this weekend.
Arbuckle was signed for the MTC Park men in the summer, but was disappointed to suffer their first loss in nine games against Royal Albert on Saturday.
Despite the blow, Arbuckle is keen to put the defeat behind him and focus on a good run – inspired by Cairn reaching the quarter-finals last term. Davie Greig’s side made it to that stage and lost to Juniors giants Linlithgow Rose.
Maud are struggling near the foot of the North Region Super League – the top division for teams from the Granite City.
He admits they don’t really know what they are in for, but thinks that could also work as a positive.
“It’s been an enjoyable season so far,” said Arbuckle.
“It’s been a good start, but it would have been a great start if we had won against Royal Albert.
“We’re still top of the table – but we wanted to open up a gap in the promotion places.
“It was disappointing, but we’re still confident going into the cup.
“The boys last season had a good run, and we want to keep that tradition going.
“We’re going into the unknown, but that’s the nature of this competition.
“A lot of teams in the cup won’t know what we are about as well.
“Since Davie (Greig) has taken over it’s a really different side from last season. So in that sense, we can use it to our advantage as well.
“They are in the top division up in Aberdeen – so we know it won’t be an easy game.”
Former Clyde and Queen of the South forward Arbuckle has featured in the junior ranks for around seven years, but admits he has never enjoyed a lengthy cup run.
“The furthest I have ever got in the competition is the quarter-final stage when I was with Yoker,” he continued. “It’s a competition I’ve always enjoyed because you can get anyone.
“You have a really good chance of pitting yourself against the top teams, and that’s what you want at any level.
“I’d like to get to a final one day – but I’m not about to turn round and say we will do it this year. We just want to do ourselves justice in every round.
“We will just take it one game at a time.”
We just want to do ourselves justice in every round Gary Arbuckle