The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Red Lichties hope to set up cup clash against Hoops
David Gold insists Arbroath need to blank out any thoughts of a glamour Scottish Cup clash at Celtic when they take on Falkirk tonight.
The Red Lichties host the League One leaders knowing the winners will face the holders in Glasgow in the third round on April 3.
A return to cup action is a welcome distraction for an Arbroath team who are battling against relegation in the Championship.
But former Hibs trainee Gold insists the Bairns must have their undivided attention.
He said: “It’s nice to go and play different opposition and we know the winners will play Celtic in the next round.
“It’s a wee thing at the back of your mind as everyone wants to go and play against Celtic and Rangers. It’s not often you get games like that.
“But we know how hard the game is going to be, we can’t think too much ahead because the big game is on Tuesday night.
“Falkirk are a good team and we know that first hand as they put us out last year in a replay.
“They’ve got great players, a good management team and seem to be doing well. They’re full-time as well.”
Gold, however, admits keeping hold of their Championship status will always be the priority for Dick Campbell’s side, who are three points adrift of safety.
Gold added: “Right now every game is important to us and we need points on the board. It’s always our objective to stay in the league. We look after ourselves as we can’t influence anyone else.”
Falkirk co-manager David Mccracken, meanwhile, was encouraged by Kai Fotheringham’s debut in the weekend’s 2-0 victory over Montrose.
The forward played 74 minutes of the game after recently joining on loan from Dundee United.
Mccracken said: “I thought he did really well. The ones we’ve brought in showed up really well.”
● Montrose manager Stewart Petrie says teams from outside the SPFL can never be underestimated as his side prepare to play Nairn County for a spot in the third round of the Scottish Cup.
The Gable Endies travel to Wee County knowing victory would set up a trip to another Highland League side in Fraserburgh – however, Petrie is not looking beyond the Station Park clash.
Nairn have not been in action since losing to Formartine United in the Highland League at the start of January but Petrie says that hasn’t changed his side’s preparation, saying: “We have done as much research as we can.
“We had them watched in the last round when they beat Broxburn on penalties to get through and have managed to pick up a couple of reports as well.
“We know that this will be a difficult cup tie, much like our one last year at Bonnyrigg.”
Despite being more than 20 places ahead of their opponents in the Scottish football pyramid, Petrie knows full well non-league sides can always produce a shock result similar to Montrose’s exit last season when they crashed out to the aforementioned Lowland League side Bonnyrigg.
Petrie hopes to avoid a repeat of that mishap as he explained: “Every year the gap between the senior leagues and other leagues is getting closer and closer.
“Having lost last year, we know exactly what happens when we are not at our best.”
Montrose returned to League One action on Saturday after the three month lay-off of lower league football, going down 2-0 to league leaders Falkirk.
Petrie says he is taking the positives into tonight’s cup tie, adding: “We might have lost at the weekend but it is good to have got some game time into the players’ legs ahead of such a tricky game.”