Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Fed look for a cup bounce in league
BROUGHTY Athletic are hoping last week’s fine Scottish Cup performance against Downfield provides them with a timely boost to get their league season back on track.
After an excellent start to the season, the Fed have stuttered a bit in the league lately and have lost their last four matches.
Manager Keith Gibson is hoping the cup success signals a return to winning ways.
However, they face a stiff test from Linlithgow Rose, who will be in Dundee for the second week running, having comfortably beaten North End in the Scottish Cup last Saturday.
Gibson acknowledges it will be a tough game but points out they have already beaten their opponents 2-1 this season when they met at Linlithgow on the opening day of the campaign.
Gibson will make a late selection, but Jake Mair is likely to be the only absentee.
Lochee United manager George Shields faces the task of lifting his troops after last week’s collapse against Musselburgh in the Scottish Cup, although he is unlikely to make wholesale changes for the trip to Broxburn.
He will, however, be forced into a few alterations, with Dougie Cameron and Bryan Deasley both injured and Greg Kirk is unavailable.
On the plus side, stand-in keeper Darren Clarkson returns from a hand injury.
A win for Carnoustie over Camelon at Laing Park would see the Gowfers continue their remarkable run of late.
It’s a far cry from where they were at the start of October, when they were propping up the league and looking a good bet for relegation.
Apart from their Scottish Cup defeat, Alan McSkimming’s side are undefeated in their last seven league matches and a win tomorrow could move them into the top six.
McSkimming has been hard hit by injuries again, however, with no fewer than six players unlikely to be available for selection.
Roddy Black, John Roberts, Robert Urquhart, Michael McIlravey, Gordon McDonald and Jamie Robbie are all nursing knocks and unlikely to make it.