Haddington keeper Cornet feeling confident ahead of cup encounter
Haddington Athletic goalkeeper Dale Cornet says they will approach their William Hill Scottish Cup first round t i e at home t o Formartine United with nothing to fear as they’ve already knocked out a club two levels above them.
The East of Scotland First Division side caused the shock of the round in their second preliminary tie away to BSC Glasgow just two weeks ago.
They knocked out the Lowland League high- flyers who got all t he way t o t he f i f t h round before facing Hibs in last season’s competition, with a stunning 3- 2 victory.
That result was unprecedented for the Hihis, who are taking part in the Scottish Cup for the first time thanks to a move from the junior to senior ranks, so anything they can achieve in the competition from now on will be seen as a bonus. Cornet just wishes they could allow fans in to make Saturday’s occasion all the more special.
“We’ve had a decent start to the season and the boys are playing with a bit of conf i dence. We are not really fearing going out and playing against a team that is two tiers above us, it’s a free hit for us because we aren’t expected to win the game,” said Cornet.
“Not having any fans is a bit of a nightmare considering it is our first- ever home Scottish Cup tie, but at least our committee will be able to watch it.
“Our president Drew [ Donaldson] has been i nvolved with the club since he was in
his 20s [ over 50 years]. Everyone is toiling just now so it would have been a big occasion for the locals. We’ve got a good wee set up down there and they are all nice folk.
“I t i s a bi g g a me, i f yo u g e t t h r o u g h t h e p r e l i mi - nar y rounds it means a l ot to the club financially, so it’s a bit of a shame t hey can’t g e t a g o o d b a c k i n g f r o m the fans and boys’ families. “We j ust have t o hope we c a n g e t t h r o u g h a f e w more r ounds and t hen by
t hen t he r e s t r i c t i ons wil l b e h o p e f u l l y b e d o w n . ” Haddington, managed by former Hear t s youngster Joe Hamill, will have to do without their 36- year- old playerboss who was sent off late in the previous round.
The Mill f i el d Park men have the bonus, however, of being able to wake up on Boxing Day at a reasonable time, unlike their Highland League visitors, who’ll make an early morning journey down from Pitmedden, Aberdeenshire.
Formartine eventually overcame fellow Highland League side Turriff United on Monday night in a second preliminary round tie that went ahead at Keith’s Kynoch Park after three previous postponements.
Cornet continued: “I would imagine it will be Boxing Day they will be travelling down, which isn’t nice.
"I watched their highlights from this week and they look a big physical, really good side and they are doing alright up in the Highland League as well,
so we know what it expect.
“I doubt we will change how we play, we play positive football, we always try to get the ball forward.
“Against BSC I think they were a bit shocked because with 15 minutes to go in the first half we started popping it about them a bit.
“We’ve kind of shut the back door a bit this season, because l ast season we l ost f ar t oo many goals, but we’ve hardly conceded much at all this season.”