Al out to Kil two birds with one stone
Patterson keen to keep Cup run going and push on in league
ALAN Patterson says hairs are rising at the back of his neck at the prospect of steering East Kilbride Thistle into the Scottish Junior Cup fourth round today.
The Jags take on Thorniewood United in their third round replay at near neighbours East Kilbride Lowland League for the use of their sumptuous K Park astro-grass to get a result at the seventh time of asking.
And Patterson is desperate to avoid being left with egg on his face as he urges his players to make the most of the chance by clinching a trip to Tayside to meet East Region big guns Lochee United.
Patterson said: “Once things were in place we contacted Thorniewood and they were happy to make the switch.
“Describing a journey up to Lochee as the prize for whoever gets through doesn’t seem appropriat. But winning a place in the last 32 would be a real feather in our cap.
“Never in a million years did we think a Scottish Cup run was possible when arriving here from amateur football at the start of this season and more so when you think we had to build a team from scratch.”
THE former Jags and Cambuslang Rangers midfielder is feeling confident about his side’s chances of coming good despite admitting to breathing a huge sigh of relief when coming away from Robertson Park with their Cup hopes intact.
Calum McLean’s dismissal with barely 15 minutes played for denying a goalscoring opportunity saw Thistle under the cosh for the most part however they defended manfully to held out for a 0-0 draw and a second bite at the cherry. Patterson said: “I’m thinking we can play a lot better than we showed in the first game not least because the flat K park surface will suit our players. “Scott Hadden was on the books of Rangers, Ross County and West Ham in his younger days and when on his game I have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming he is part of our team.
“And nobody capitalises more on the service from our engine room than our leading goalscorer Scott McKean who has taken to Junior football like a duck to water.”
Meanwhile, Patterson has owned up to a nagging worry that his East Kilbride side could find themselves down in the bottom half of the Central First Division later today should Shotts Bon Accord and Blantyre Vics manage to rack up victories at home to basement strugglers Lesmahagow and Forth Wanderers respectively.
He said: “Staying in the First Division was one of our priorities this season but the guys have performed so well that we have lately taken to thinking that a promotion place is not beyond our capabilities.
“To finally have the Cup tie against Thorniewood out of the way will help in this respect which maybe explains why we were prepared to go the extra mile to get it on.
“Admittedly it is still a bit of tall order as things stand and there’s every likelihood we could be sitting as low as sixth bottom after today’s fixtures however I prefer to set my sights on what is needed to make up ground on the leading pair Rossvale and Benburb .
“Catching them is a huge ask but not an impossible one as they are both facing tough away games today and could easily drop points.”