The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Arbroath welcome respite from league as they eye place in quarter-finals
Game is ideal break from league pressure
Arbroath assistant boss Ian Campbell is looking for some Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Cup respite after a demanding run of games against three of the top sides in the Championship.
The Red Lichties’ good start to the season after winning promotion has faltered in recent weeks in the league with defeats against table-topping Dundee United, second placed Ayr and Dundee who sit in fourth.
Now though, they face Danny Lennon’s League 1 side Clyde at Gayfield in the Challenge Cup with Campbell determined Arbroath will return to winning ways before they play Morton in the Championship at the same venue next week.
He said: “The cup game is a bit of respite for us from the league.
“But it is a game we are determined to win.
“It is an important match and we have a lot of respect for Clyde who have had a decent start to the season.
“We will make one or two changes but they are certainly not ones that will weaken the team as we have a lot of guys who want to show the manager they deserve to win the jersey.
“We will have to be on our top form to beat Clyde at home.
“The attitude from the players this year has been absolutely phenomenal and I am not expecting anything different in this cup tie.
“It will be a hard game but we are at home.”
Campbell added: “We have had Clyde well watched and we know what we are going into.
“Danny and Allan Moore have done well there and they have good players. But we are relatively happy with the way we are going.
“We have two home games now with Clyde and Morton so we will look to kick on once more.”
Arbroath will have at least three players unavailable but there is better news on one other.
Campbell added: “We have Miko Virtanen away on international duty with the Finland Under-21 team while Josh Campbell is cup-tied and Jason Thomson has a wee knock.
“However, we have Scott Stewart back in the squad which is a big boost. We will wait and see if he plays.
“Gavin Swankie had his groin op on Thursday and he should be back in four weeks.”
Former Scotland striker David Goodwillie is available for Clyde again after a two match ban, however Alex Petkov is cup-tied and John Rankin as well as Kristoffer Syvertson are out injured.