Little touch of nostalgia as Clyde head to Brora

North challenge: Munro recalls halcyon days with Ferguson

Brora Rangers player-manager Grant Munro spent enough years in the top flight of Scottish football to know all about Barry Ferguson.

The pair used to exchange handshakes – and then hard tackles – as respective captains of Caley Thistle and Rangers.

Munro believes Clyde manager Ferguson will have stamped his authority on a Bully Wee team that travels to Brora today in the Scottish Cup.

Munro said: “It seems like a lifetime ago that Barry and I were playing against each other. He was a fine player and will be expecting his team to play to his high standards.

“It’s going to be a very difficult game but we’ve had them scouted and know how they will try to play.

“They have very experienced forwards in Sean Higgins and Peter MacDonald and, although it’s not the draw we wanted, I am sure they won’t be thrilled about having to come here to play.

“When I first signed for Brora a couple of years ago we played Clyde there in the cup and only lost 2-1, so it would be great to get our revenge for that one.”

Forres Mechanics manager Charlie Rowley has done all he can to ensure his players are prepared for today’s match against Cumbernauld Colts at Clyde’s Broadwood Stadium.

The manager said: “It’s an artificial surface at Clyde but we trained on an identical one at Aviemore this week and, although they are a decent side, we should be going for the win.”

Wick Academy welcome back goalkeeper Sean McCarthy, centre half Alan Farquhar and midfielder Sam Mackay for the home match against Whitehill Welfare, whose manager, former Ross County and Caley Thistle forward Steven Hislop, is hoping his players reap the benefits of an overnight stay in Inverness.

The clubs also met in the

“It seems like a lifetime ago we were playing”

Scottish Cup last season when the Whitehill team bus broke down on the road north. The game at Harmsworth Park ended in a 2-2 draw with Wick winning the replay 3-2.

Hislop said: “It’s a heck of a long way to get there but I have spoken to people I know at Caley Thistle to get some information about Wick. That’s the firstround prize money gone but hopefully it will be worth it. The board asked what I wanted and I wanted to do it right.” got a draw against them as they had one chance and took it. We’ve only conceded one goal in the last four games, that’s more like it”

Keith will try to build on the fine 4-0 home victory against Deveronvale when they entertain an Inverurie Locos side hoping to bounce back from a disappointing 2-0 defeat at Clach last Saturday.

Fort William welcome back midfielders Martin Munro and Jack Lingard, along with goalkeeper David Harrison for Deveronvale’s visit to Claggan Park but midfielder Craig Mainland and defender Adam Porritt are missing.

Vale travel without central defenders Scott Fraser, Kevin Adams and Lukasz Krobot, midfielder Graeme Watt and forward Chris Blackhall but full back Zander Jack, midfielders Bradley Manson and Scott Begg and forward Sean Keith return to the squad.

CUP WORKOUT: For Buckie’s John McLeod Buckie Thistle are on the Scottish Cup trail today when they have home advantage against Gretna 2008, conquerors of Deveronvale in the first round. Jags’ centre forward John McLeod said: “It would be a great achievement to get into the third round of the Scottish Cup. “Gretna won 3-0 at Deveronvale in the last round. We looked at the highlights from that game and one of their goals was a really good one and the other two came from defensive mistakes from Vale. “We have done our homework and we would be looking to do what we’ve done in many games so far, get an early goal and then hit them with two or three more shortly after to kill the game.” Jags’ only absentee is 13-goal attacker Chris Angus, who has a hamstring injury. Cove Rangers travel to face the side which ousted fellow Highland League club Turriff United after a replay, Bonnyrigg Rose. Cove manager John Sheran said: “We have had Bonnyrigg watched and contacts we know in junior football have given us details on them but facing any team which can beat Turriff 4-1 is going to be a challenge. “They won the East Superleague which is a competition full of former Scottish League players which will make it a tough game, but it is one we will be ready for.” Cove will be without midfielder Grant Campbell, who is suspended after being sent off in his last game for Wick Academy, last year’s Scottish Cup replay down at Linlithgow Rose, with former Don Stuart Duff replacing him.