New kids Gartcairn aim to make a real giant-killing
IT’S long been the case that for a cup shock to take place you need the favourites to play within themselves or with a measure of complacency – or both. And the underdog has to perform to the maximum.
The chances of an upset can be enhanced further if things go the way of the lesser light in terms of breaks of the ball and crucial refereeing decisions. So, no surprise to find Gartcairn Juniors boss Davie Greig hoping some or even all of these ingredients are in the mix for his club’s historic Scottish Junior Cup quarter-final clash away to Linlithgow Rose today.
“We’ll be spirited. We’ll be gutsy. And we’ll be having a go. But most of all we’ll be bursting with pride at the prospect of taking part at this last-eight stage of the Scottish Cup,” admitted Greggy last night.
“Gartcairn are a club of just two years’ standing in the game and one sitting mid-table in the Central Second Division. Yet here we are about to face one of the biggest names in Junior football and one with an outstanding cup tradition, to boot.
“And I’m willing to bet most other clubs would love to swap places with us.
“That’s grossly unfair because the very fact Gartcairn are cup quarter-finalists – on merit remember – is a fantastic triumph and my players will have every right to hold their heads high, walking off the pitch regardless of things pan out tomorrow.
“Linlithgow are a top side with one of the game’s truly great goalscorers in Tommy Coyne, but we’re going there feeling confident of giving them a fright.”
Gartcairn’s inexperienced playing squad – no player or backroom team member has ever appeared in the cup’s last eight – will be shorn of defender Lee McShane due to a family wedding. However Greig reports a clean bill of health otherwise.
He said: “The build-up to the game has been highly enjoyable and we even sat the guys down this week and showed them a DVD of Rocky just to illustrate how the little guy can sometimes come out on top.
“Lee’s absence is regrettable, but young Josh Moore from our Under-19s side scored a couple of goals against Lanark United to boost his confidence and we are also looking to bring Dylan Whitelaw from our Under-17s into the squad for Saturday.”
Greig is keeping team plans close to chest but he owned up to being an admirer of the David-and-Goliath approach taken by Lincoln City manager Danny Cowley when the Eng- lish non-league outfit recently matched up with Arsenal.
Greig said: “Cowley broke the game into nine 10-minute matches in trying to get his players to focus on staying in the game as long as possible and I’d say the odds are similarly stacked against us against Linlithgow. So it could be that we will employ the same tactic.”
Meanwhile, Gartcairn will get the chance for another giantkilling act after being pitted this week against Super Premier big guns Troon Juniors in the New Coin Holdings West of Scotland Cup third-round draw which also landed reigning holders Auchinleck Talbot with a trip to meet Royal Albert or Maybole.
The third-round matches are: Largs Thistle v Rob Roy, Royal Albert/Maybole v Auchinleck Talbot, Craigmark v Kilsyth Rangers, St Roch’s v Annbank Utd /Maryhill, Pollok v Neilston, Thorniewood Utd/ Darvel v Kilwinning Rangers, Troon v Gartcairn, Cumnock v Blantyre Vics.
Talbot centre-back Danny Boyle, transfer listed at his own request last week, won’t be figuring for the Ayrshiremen again this season after agreeing a move to rejoin his first Junior club Cumbernauld United
Similarly, ruled out of Troon’s head-to-head with Gartcairn is Chris McKnight who has joined Super First Division promotion hopefuls Irvine Meadow. He will make his debut in today’s derby showdown against Irvine Vics.
Top game in the Super First card is the meeting at Duncansfield of league leaders Kilsyth Rangers and Petershill, who trail seven points behind. Clydebank, meanwhile, will be hoping to get back on track by picking up all three points away to Maryhill.
Second-top Shettleston will not find the going easy at in-form Cumbernauld and any slip-up by John Fallon’s men could be seized upon by a Girvan side fancied to come out on top away to Yoker Athletic.
Game of the day in the Central First Division has frontrunners Cambuslang Rangers hosting the visit of fifth-top Wishaw. Chris McGroarty’s men must claim a victory if they are to close the gap on St Roch’s and Larkhall Thistle.