CUPCRACKERHAS GOTTHEBOT
Bosswaryofgiant-killersandfamous12thmanatbeechwood
Hamilton Accies boss Stuart Taylor hopes his players thrive in the“fiery”scottish Cup cauldron at Auchinleck Talbot – but admits it’s not the tie he would have wanted as they bid to avoid a shock.
Taylor’s side travel to Ayrshire on Saturday for a tricky third-round tie against the West of Scotland League Premier leaders and they will be met with an intimidating atmosphere at Beechwood Park.
With a tight pitch and the fans right on top of the players, Taylor reckons the buzz around Beechwood will act as a bit of a leveller as Talbot look to keep up their fine form against SPFL sides.
Talbot knocked Ayr United out of the competition in the
2018/19 campaign and took
Arbroath to a replay the following season, both on home soil.
But Taylor wants his players to relish the occasion and make sure they take care of business.
He said: “It’s going to be really noisy, fiery. It’s going to have that real cup tie atmosphere to it so we are looking forward to it.
“It’s games that I always thrived on as a player and I’m sure the lads will be looking forward to it as well. “Once you are down there the atmosphere takes care of itself and you just concentrate on the game. It’s probably one of those ties you are sitting thinking: ‘That is probably not the tie we would like’, in all honesty, when you look at Auchinleck over the years.
“They carry a huge support and there’s that mentality everyone in the village comes and supports their local team, which is brilliant. With that comes all the hype and positivity that goes with it.
“And they create a real whirlwind when it comes to the cup, hence the reason why they’ve won so many Junior Cup finals in the past.
“There’s a real spirit about the place so it’s going to be a very difficult game.
“It will be their cup final. They will want to win it, we want to go and win it so it will show for a good game. Everybody loves an underdog.
“When it comes to cups there’s an element of a leveller, especially when you are playing away from home, especially with the atmosphere they will create.
”You don’t have a given right to win a game, you have to earn it and we have to go down there and show that we can do that.”
Talbot are top of their division with just one defeat in 19 games this season, while Accies are looking for their first win in a month having come up short in their last four outings.
It’s a big week of cup action for Accies with a SPFL Trust Trophy quarter-final clash at home to Kilmarnock on Tuesday night to follow.
And Taylor added: “We are looking forward to Saturday but we are also looking forward to the quarter-final on Tuesday.
“They are big games and ones you want to be involved in where that pressure is involved. You want that because that’s what makes you tick when you go into games. Hopefully we can do well and take that momentum into the league games.”