Peterhead planning to keep it simple in bid to win title at Hampden

P e t e r h e a d manag e r Ji m Mcinally has told his team to take an unsophisticated approach to winning League 2 when they face Queen’s Park at Hampden.

The Blue Toon lead secondplaced Clyde, who are away to Cowdenbeath, by two points and five goals and, having seen t he t i t l e slip t hrough t heir hands when Stirling Albion hit a late equaliser last weekend at Balmoor, Mcinally is not for taking any chances.

Mcinally said: “I am not gambling in this game. The message is a simple one and that is to win. Hampden would be a great venue to secure the title but the last time we were here we got sucked in by the grandeur of it.

“The pitch was in marvellous condition and we went about the game all wrong. We started tr ying to spray passes all over the place. Queen’s picked up on that and they pressed us high. We made mistakes and lost 2- 0.

“The pitch will probably be even better now, but we will not be strolling about looking to pass ourselves to death. We will keep it simple in terms of getting the ball into attacking areas and letting Queen’s worry about us.”

Clyde boss Danny Lennon is hoping that the winning mentalit y that has embedded itself in his camp will see them take full advantage of any Peterhead stumble. The Bully Wee have won seven out of their last eight games, with their only blemish being a 3- 3 draw with the Blue Toon, and Lennon said: “We have had to win to stay in the chase and we have done that.

“The players go out now believing that they will work together to get a win and that is what we will take on to the pitch at Cowdenbeath.

“If we win then we will have done all that we can.” Cove Rangers host East Kilbride in the second leg of t he P yramid play- off semi- final with the Highland League champions holding a 2- 1 advantage.

A final berth against Berwick Rangers would be a step closer for Cove had they not lost a late goal at the K- Park but stand- i n manager Graeme Mathieson was pleased to have a lead to hold on to.

Mat h i e s o n , who wi l l again be in charge as manager John Sheran recovers from a heart attack, said: “I wanted us to be still in the tie at the end of the first leg so to be winning 2- 1 is fantastic. The boys worked hard to put us in that position and we cannot let the loss of one late goal get us down.

“I would have settled for a draw to be honest as they are a good side full of experienced players.

“It is a bit of a cliché, but it is only half- time. We are pleased with where we are, but we know that an awful lot of work will need to be done to get us through.”

East Kilbride boss Stuart Malcolm i s hoping that Jamie Longworth’s l ate strike proves to be a catalyst. He said: “We were not at the levels we have achieved throughout the season. It was an out- ofcharacter performance and credit to Cove for taking advantage but Jamie’s goal gives us a good chance of winning.

“He showed a lot of quality and experience when he came on and Sean Winter was the same. It is good to be heading up to Aberdeen with lots of options.

“They were dangerous at set- pieces but we also need to look at how we defended them. Wecan do that better so there is plenty to play for.

“Jamie’s goal means that we can go to Cove and be positive.”

Malcolm: Positive.