No guarantee west is best for Maryhill boss Hughes
IS there good grounds for t hinking home advantage can provide the platform for success in the Scottish Junior Cup? Hoping to put a positive slant on the answer to this question is a quartet of West Region sides bracing themselves to host East Region opponents in fifth-round ties taking place on Saturday.
Against Auchinleck Talbot, minnows Luncarty realistically have little chance of the causing an upset should the 11-time record trophy winners approach the tie with the right attitude.
But tradition almost certainly isn’t going to be enough to carry Maryhill into the quarter-finals at the expense of Linlithgow Rose, not least because 77 years have elapsed since the silverware was last paraded at Lochburn Park following a 1-0 triumph over nowadays defunct Morton Juniors.
And neither is the new-found confidence spawned by the famous old Glasgow outfit’s unbeaten run in 2017 (spanning four games) likely to bridge the perceived gap in class between the sides even if Maryhill boss John Hughes refuses to rule out a famous victory.
He said: “We had Linlithgow watched when losing 2-1 against Carnoustie Panmure last Saturday and reports confirm they have gifted individuals and a prolific goalscorer in Tommy Coyne.
“They have not been at their best in the East Region league this season, but he is undoubtedly on song and has notched 15 goals in his last 15 games so it’s crucial we keep tabs on him in and around our penalty box.
“The guys have put a lot of work into preparing for the tie and are as ready as they’ll ever be.
However, it’s a blow that our regular central defender Gordon McLune is set to be posted missing.
“Current form says the game is evenly matched, but a muddy Lochburn Park surface could work in our favour.”
Linlithgow will be seeking to take a third West Region scalp after seeing off Clydebank and Blantyre Vics in previous rounds.
But proving an even greater scourge of teams from these parts are Bonnyrigg Rose whose defeats of Rossvale, Thorniewood United and Kilsyth Rangers have paved the way for a visit to face Petershill.
Bookmakers are backing last season’s East Region champ- ions to come good, and understandably so considering Peasy boss Willie Patterson is bracing himself to be deprived of the attacking riches of Liam Finnigan, Alex Cassells, Chris Hall and possibly Jason Hardie through injury.
A 4-0 defeat at the hands of near neighbours St Roch’s will also have dented confidence in the home dressing room.
However, both Patterson and his No.2 Paul Kelly are experienced campaigners who will know what it takes to rally their troops and have them well organised on their newly laid artificial surface.
LAST but not least of the West Region hopefuls are Renfrew who warmed up for their New Western Park contest against Sauchie with a spirited 3-3 draw in a Monday night friendly with Kilwinning Rangers, where Gregor Wylie, Sean Fitzharris and a Renfrew Under-21s trialist were on the scoresheet.
Frew co-boss Colin Clark said: “The exercise was all about giving game time to a number of players and it proved worthwhile in that respect.
“The plan is to train again tonight and ready ourselves for what will be a very demanding cup tie against a Sauchie side looking a better than decent bet to run out title winners in the East Premier League.
“They have won seven in a row coming into the game but our players have hit a rich vein of form themselves, so nobody here is running scared of what Saturday will bring.
“The one drawback has been the cancellation of Sauchie’s last two outings which has prevented us running the rule over them, so we are relying on contacts through east providing details of their strengths – and weaknesses if any.”
Meanwhile, former Gartcairn gaffer Gerry Bonham has made a swift return to the Junior circuit after being unveiled as manager of Thorniewood United where he will be assisted by Stewart Easton who was a Scottish Junior Cup winner in 2008 with Bathgate Thistle.