Tough cup ties for Big County pair

Feb 27 2009 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

JEANFIELD Swifts and Blairgowrie are engaged in Redwood Leisure Cup first round ties. Swifts take on Kelty Hearts at the Riverside Stadium and Blair travel into the Kingdom to face Crossgates Primrose.

The rest of tomorrow’s fixtures are league matches.

Swifts have a very difficult hurdle to overcome if they are to progress to round two as their guests Kelty Hearts are the current Super League leaders.

Hearts however have the reputation of being a real Jekyl and Hyde side mainly due to the fact that their cup exploits have been extremely disappointing.

The Redwood is the only major cup competition they are still involved in and they will be desperately keen to win this tie.

Hearts have already suffered three cup defeats at the hands of Central League teams.

Lochgelly Albert beat them in the opening League Cup game of the season then they were knocked out of the Scottish Cup by Thornton Hibs and then only last week they suffered a 5-2 defeat at home to St Andrews in the Fife and Lothians Cup.

Swifts haven’t fared much better as they too are out of the three major cup competitions, but their defeats have been at the hands of teams who play in their regional Super Leagues.

Swifts like their guests also had a very disappointing result last Saturday losing 3-0 to Crossgates Primrose in a league game.

Swifts boss Eddie O’Connor is well aware that they will have to improve on this performance to have any chance of turning over Kelty.

Eddie, is making a determined bid to bolster his squad and he is hopeful of making three new signings before tomorrow’s game. If successful they will be in his squad for tomorrow’s cup clash.

This will be Craig Milne’s last game for Swifts before he heads off to New Zealand for at least six months.

Ross Brock and Mike Waring are still out with foot injuries. It’s a late selection from Swifts for what could be an interesting cup tie.

Blairgowrie have already met Crossgates Primrose this season when they clashed in the Scottish Cup. After a goalless draw at Davie Park Blair went on to win the replay 5-2. They will be hoping that tomorrow’s visit to Humbug Park will again prove to be successful.

Blair had a 3-2 away win over Bro’ty in the GA Cup last week which was a real confidence booster for them before tomorrow’s tie.

The good news from the Blair camp is that manager Billy Mackay has the same squad that performed so well last week, plus Gordon Pirie.

Mark Duggan has yet to be given the all-clear from the shoulder injury that has kept him on the sidelines in recent weeks. Billy Mackay expects to travel with a squad of 17.

Kinnoull are at home to Dundonald Bluebell in the Premier League.

Dundonald are third from bottom of the league table and are obviously relegation candidates and Kinnoull, who are six points ahead of them, will be looking to add to their relegation woes by taking the three points from this Tulloch Park encounter.

Kinnoull turned in a very disappointing performance last Saturday when they lost 4-1 to Musselburgh.

Scott Brown will probably be contemplating changes but he doesn’t have many options in this direction as apart from Mark Morrison and Gary Sweeney, long term injuries, he will be without Neil Gardiner and Dave Quinn, both unavailable.

Jon Kelly has both an ankle injury and a thigh strain but hasn’t been ruled out, while Martin Maher (leg injury) is still doubtful.

Both Jon and Martin may have late fitness tests. On the plus side centre half Iain Wilkie returns. It’s a late selection from Scott Brown.

Bankfoot and Scone Thistle are engaged in Central League games.

The Bankies take on Newburgh at Coronation Park and they certainly look to be capable of taking three points from this game.

After a bright start to their league campaign Newburgh haven’t won a league game since November and while they are just above Bankies in the league table they have played three more games.

The Bankies won’t be at full strength for this game as they will be without Jim Weir (unavailable) and Scott McCabe and Barry Ward (both suspended).

There could be more problems for manager Robin Wood if Danny Dobbie and Neil McCallum fail late fitness tests. Back in the squad are goalkeeper Mike Whyte and forward Neil McDougal. it’s a late selection from Robin Wood, who despite his problems is looking to take the three points.

Scone Thistle are away to Kirkcaldy YM who are in the top half of the league table, eight points ahead of Thistle and favourites to take the points from this game at Denfield Park.

Thistle however had a good result at this venue recently as they held the YM to a draw in a cup tie only to lose out in the penalty shootout.

Thistle had an excellent win last Saturday and if they can reproduce the form they displayed in that game against Lochgelly Albert they will have a good chance of getting a favourable result.

Derek Adam will have the same squad as did duty in that game with one exception. Dave Routledge is suspended after being red-carded. Mark Robertson, unavailable last week, returns to the squad which is expected to number 17.

Coupar Angus are at home to Downfield in the North League and their task in this game has been made more difficult as they have lost three players, Jim Henry, Stephen Williamson and Matush Moravcik to North End.

But manager Derek Grier is still upbeat about the game. He said: “We were without those players last week for our game against Sunnybank and although we lost we played very well.”

Derek feels a repeat performance would certainly give them a good chance of finishing with the points from tomorrow’s game.

Richard Wheeler (back injury) is still in the doubtful category for this game and may have a late fitness test. Derek Grier is hopeful of having a new singing on board. It’s a late selection from Derek.

Luncarty have no game tomorrow but there’s no day off for the players as manager Barrie Malcolm intends to hold two training sessions during the day.

Jeanfield Swifts have placed their midfield/forward Scott Lafferty on the transfer list. All enquiries regarding the player should be directed to Swifts secretary Eric Allan, tel 01738 443504 or 07984005605.