Willie reckons Peasy have it easier than it looks in final...
ATOPIC guaranteed to get Willie Patterson’s dander up is the suggestion his Petershill side are “stickons” to take the Central League Cup honours on Sunday with a victory over Super First Division rivals Yoker Athletic.
Yet few if any people in the Junior game would dare predict a different outcome in the Somervell Park-staged finale given it is only a week since the Peasy ran out 6-0 winners over their opponents for the final.
And it’s not as if the Whe Ho can offer up the excuse that the Holm Park clash was a meaningless end-of-season affair because that defeat relegated them to the Central First Division when a mere point would have avoided the drop.
Yoker were second best throughout and lost any number of one-on-one contests around the pitch, however seven days down the line, gaffer Patterson demands his charges take nothing for granted.
He said: “This weekend’s Cup Final a g ainst Yoker is so reminiscent of last season when we won our way through to face Vale of Clyde in the early season Sectional League Cup Final, also played at Somervell Park.
“It’s no exaggeration to say everybody and their granny were tipping Petershill to win given the Tin Pail were two divisions lower down the pecking order, yet they came ever so close to winning the game before we scraped a last-gasp victory courtesy of a penalty shoot-out.
“To say celebrations were muted is putting it lightly and I’ll never forget a group of players being slaughtered by our own supporters afterwards on account of our very mediocre display on the day.
“Yet I wouldn’t necessarily blame any complacency on our part because the main reason was down to the Vale raising their game and playing out of their skin… particularly during the first half when they gave us a real chasing and could easily have had the Cup won.
“But that’s what can happen so often in Cup Final occasions and we have to be on our guard against Yoker doing the same.”
Patterson, now in his sixth season with Peasy, admits to having several selection worries going into the showpiece occasion, not counting the long-term injured trio of Fraser McGhee, Paul Finnigan and Chris Wilson who will not feature again until next season.
He revealed: “Alex Cassells is a definite non-starter after going over on his ankle and Chrissy Hall is only on the way back now after a five-week absence while both Conor Stevenson and Jason Hardie are rated in the very doubtful category.
“It’s a far from ideal situation however coping with injuries is part and parcel of being Petershill’s manager this season because goalkeeper Mikey White apart, every single player on the books has spent a minimum of four weeks on the sidelines.
“In spite of everything the players finished the season with six straight wins and hopefully they’ve kept a bit in the locker for one last hurrah.”
MICHAEL Bailey, Ryan Hynes and Greg Maitland were on target as Yoker eased themselves into the Final with a 3-1 semi-final of Benburb last Wednesday night watched from the terracings by veteran campaigner and former Petershill midfielder Mark McManus who believes his team-mates could spring a surprise .
The 36-year-old said:“The players showed a bit of character to get themselves up for facing the Bens on the back of our relegation disappointment.
“We fully deserved our win so I cannot see gaffer Steff Reilly making changes. The likelihood is I’ll have to settle for a watching brief again after only flying back from holiday last Monday.
“But I’ll be ready if he needs me and I’d love to be involved as people at the club reckon this is Yoker’s first Cup Final appearance in 30 years .”
Cumbernauld United have recruited highly regarded midfielder Rab McGuire from St Roch’s to go along with earlier captures Chris Zok (Renfrew) , Mark Bachelor (Cumbernauld Colts) and Darren Bowie (Thorniewood United) while Cumnock have boosted their options by snapping up Troon striker Adam Forsyth as well as Sean McKenzie ex-Ayr United who impressed on loan at Townhead Park.
And there are reports of Pollok’s bold move to sign Kilbirnie Ladeside frontman Adam Forde has hit a snag because of the need to pay compensation as he is still under contract at Valefield.