How to axe the Hatchetmen

Station Park: Cove have dossier on Crusaders in bid to reach last eight

Beware the Hatchetmen is the cry from Cove Rangers manager John Sheran as his players prepare to make history today.

The Highland League leaders face Northern Irish opposition in Crusaders for the first time with the two teams going head-to-head at Station Park, Forfar, for a place in the quarter-finals of the IRN-BRU Cup.

Sheran said: “The players are all speaking about the game and we were all able to have a look at them on Monday in their league win against Glentoran as it was televised.

“We didn’t speak much about it until we got Wednesday’s Aberdeenshire Cup semi-final at Deveronvale out of the way, so now we can concentrate fully on what will be a good but very difficult game for us.

“We have also been able to watch other bits and pieces of video and we also have a full report on them, so we have an idea of what they might do.

“They will be very competitive and are quite a physical outfit from what we can see, so we know they are going to present a real challenge but it’s one the players need to rise to.”

Cove’s only absentee is attacker Jonny Smith, who has been struggling all season with hamstring and back injuries.

The Belfast-based club’s manager Stephen Baxter said: “It is a really interesting challenge especially as we have a very limited knowledge of Cove.

“I have seen a couple of video clips and I am still trying to get some more information on board, it’s therefore a trip into the unknown, but I am aware that they are used to winning games as they are sitting at the top of their league which is one level below the SPFL.

“We also know that the game is on an artificial pitch and that was good news as we play on one as well.”

Baxter added: “They will be well-drilled and well-organised and like most teams from Scotland they will have an up and at them approach so we are expecting a really tough game.

“Motherwell’s under20s were like that in the last round and they gave us a real fright before we won 3-2.

“Cove are likely to have more experienced players than them, so this will be tough. We had a terrific 3-0 win at Glentoran on Monday night and we will look to build on that.”

“We know they are going to present a real challenge”