Petrie eyes quick fix for Montrose’s Killie tester

Montrose manager Stewart Petrie has urged his players to get their 5-0 defeat to Partick Thistle out of their system quickly ahead of their historic Scottish Cup clash with Kilmarnock.

The Gable Endies head to the Premiership side just 39 hours after their defeat at Firhill and Petrie admits it was not ideal preparation before a crucial cup tie.

He said: “Partick were the best team we’ve come up against this season, there is no doubt about it.

“They were strong, aggressive and quick – basically everything you would want in a team and we did not cope with it. It was a combination of us being poor and them being outstanding. We tried a few different permutations and systems, but they were never going to lose it.

“It is really just a case of getting the result and performance out of our minds and systems early. That is the beauty of football, sometimes you need to wait a whole week to try and right a wrong – we have quite literally less than two days.”

It is just the fifth time in 50 years the Links Park side have featured in the last 16 of the competition and Petrie added: “It is a massive game in the history of the club.

“We obviously go into it

as massive underdogs but we have to look at it as a huge opportunity.

“We have the right characters in our dressing room to bounce back.”

“Killie are a right good side and if they are not at the races, we have qualities that could hurt them if we take our chances.

“It is a one-off game and despite the schedule, we would much rather have the game than not – it means we are still in the cup.”

On-loan Harry Cochrane, who is set to leave Hearts at the end of the season after turning down a contract offer, returns from injury but Montrose will need to make do without cup-tied loanees Robbie McGale and Chris Antoniazzi.

Kilmarnock boss Tommy Wright has warned his players not to underestimate the League One side.

Wright added: “They have a good squad of players and will be hurting after Thursday night and wanting to put in a strong performance. We have got to make sure we are professional and look after ourselves.

“They have had a good season, a wee blip recently. Stewart has done a really good job.

“I knew a few of their players. Sean Dillon is still playing away, a great professional, and a couple of lads I had at St Johnstone, (Andrew) Steeves, who has done well for them and Cammy Ballantyne, a young midfielder, and they have a bit of pace in their team.

“Listen, if we don’t play well enough, irrespective of them having played on Thursday night, they can cause us problems.

“We have to make sure we are ultra-professional in everything we do.

“You can’t give teams a chance where they might get a goal and then they have something to fight for and hang on to.

“I am looking for my players to impose themselves on the game, play at a tempo and a speed that makes it difficult for Montrose.”

Harry Cochrane.