Cairn boss raring for cup chance
Greig hoping to land quarter-final shot but is wary of Rovers threat
THERE is no need for a crystal ball to find out the preferred quarterfinal opponent of all but two of the Scottish Junior Cup hopefuls taking part in crunch fifth-round ties tomorrow afternoon.
Nobody is predicting an easy ride into the last eight but it’s clear that the winners of the all Central Second Division clash between Gartcairn and Carluke Rovers is everyone’s idea of a dream draw.
“Anyone saying otherwise is telling porky pies,” cracked Cairn boss David Greig last night ahead of the visit of a Rovers team who ran out 3-2 winners when the sides met in a league match a fortnight ago.
Greggy had joked that he hoped Rovers hitman Ian Watt, who netted a double in that previous meeting, would be posted missing, but there will be no such luck.
Greig said: “Chucky [Watt] has always been a very good player with an eye for goal and I have to admit he ran us rag- ged in the last game. Carluke’s other goalscorer that day, Mark Weir, is someone I’ve forever rated as a top Junior and he doesn’t always get the credit he deserves.”
Gartcairn, in only their second season as a Junior outfit, find themselves in unknown territory as a last-16 survivor but not Greig, who famously headed up St Roch’s when they met Auchinleck Talbot in a fifth-round showdown in 2012 only to lose 5-0.
He said: “I cannot promise Gartcairn will avoid a similar heavy defeat but it’s no disrespect to say Carluke are not an Auchinleck, and I fancy we are capable of coming out on top if we can control our emotions. A great week’s training has the boys raring to go and make the most of this chance to create a bit of history.”
Greig promoted youngsters Luke Tuite and Josh Moore from Gartcairn’s youth academy for the defeat of Hermes in the previous round and he is holding true to his vow that others are in the pipeline by bringing goalkeeper Liam Tuite and Dillon Walker into his playing squad for the MTC Stadium encounter.
Greig added: “Bringing in these young lads shows there is a pathway into the top team at this club for anyone showing the necessary talent and commitment.”
Visiting manager Slater is urging his players to clinch a quarter-final place for veteran campaigner Weir.
Slater said: “It’s pleasing to hear Davie pay compliments to Mark, who fully deserves any praise that comes his way.
“He along with Garry Gow, John Renwick and Mark Haddow make up the experienced heads likely to feature tomorrow and I’m looking for their influence to bring out the best in what is otherwise a very youthful bunch, with Stirling Albion loan signing Alberto Vezza the youngest at just 17 years of age.
“Our recent 3-2 victory is a potent reminder of the effect Davie Greig has on teams because we were 3-0 to the good at half-time and coasting until he got talking during the interval and the game was turned on its head.
“They will fancy their chances of turning us over and I can well understand why because this is one game that will be close to call.