Rabs boss is counting the days to show west is best
KIRKINTILLOCH Rob Roy manager Stewart Maxwell says he’s been counting down the days until his side’s Scottish Junior Cup clash with Bonnyrigg Rose.
The Rabs travel to New Dundas Park tomorrow to face the East Superleague holders in a game that many are calling the best tie of the quarter-finals.
Maxwell admits he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about the match ever since it was announced late last month.
He said: “After the quarterfinal draw was made I tried to not think about it and put it to the back of my mind as we had other business to take care of at that time.
“However, I have to admit doing so was almost impossible. It’s such a big game for us that you can’t help but think about it.
“Playing away from home against a top team like Bonnyrigg is a big occasion, but doing it in the quarters of the Junior Cup makes it 10 times bigger.
“It’s the type of game you can’t help but count down to, especially as we’re at that point in the season where our results will determine if we have a good season or a great one.”
Despite Rob Roy’s good form in all competitions this season, the Kirkintilloch boss admits his side aren’t favourites for tomorrow’s game.
However, Maxwell insists his side has what it takes to beat Bonnyrigg and book its place in the last four of the showpiece competition.
He said: “The game will be tough for both sides. I’m expecting it to be an even affair as both teams have quality players in all positions.
“I know everyone considers Bonnyrigg to be the favourites, but I’m confident we can get a good result if we stick to our game plan and don’t get rattled by the occasion.
“We know Bonnyrigg are a very good side at home so we’ll probably need to weather the storm and take our chances when we get them.
“But if we can do that and we stick to our game plan then we’ll have a great chance of winning and getting through to the semis.”
Bonnyrigg Rose manager Robbie Horn says his side intends to exploit Rob Roy’s weaknesses as they aim to prove that east region teams are just as good as their western counterparts.
He said: ‘‘The game will be a real test of our character to get a result, but I believe we have the players who will be able to expose faults in their side.
‘‘West teams seem to think east sides are weaker, but we will take the same mentality we had in the senior Scottish Cup in this match and prove them wrong.’’
In other cup news, it was announced earlier this week that Kirkintilloch Rob Roy will face an away trip to Largs Thistle in the third round of the West of Scotland Cup.
MAXWELL’S side needed penalties to beat Ardrossan Winton Rovers in the previous round and the Rabs boss admits he was disappointed with his team’s performance.
He said: “We didn’t play very well in our last West of Scotland Cup game against Ardrossan. We had to rely on penalties to get through.
“I don’t want to take anything away from the Ardrossan players as they were up for it and played really well, but we were disappointing.”
Maxwell says he’s expecting a better display from his side against Largs Thistle but admits he’ll be happy as long as his side gets through to the quarter-finals.
He added: “I will be hoping for a better performance from the lads in the next round, but as long we get through that’s all that matters.
“In cup football it’s all about getting through to the next round and I don’t really care how we do it, just as long as we do.
“If it takes another penalty shoot-out for us to get past Largs then so be it. I’ll be a happy man if we’re in the draw for the next round regardless of how we get there.”