Edinburgh City glad to land home tie against Montrose

Published on Tuesday 1 December 2009 08:50

EDINBURGH CITY manager Shaun Steven attended yesterday's Active Nation Scottish Cup fourth-round draw at Hampden Park hoping for a crack at an SPL side.

However, he was not too disappointed when the Meadowbank-based club was handed a home draw against the SFL Third Division basement club Montrose.

"Realistically, if we did not get an SPL team then we wanted the team that was bottom of the Third Division and that's what has happened," said Steven.

"We will have to do our homework on Montrose but we are at home and we definitely have a chance of progressing to the fifth round which is the last 16 teams.

"At the moment we are only four games away from perhaps playing in Europe!

"We are going to watch them tonight in their re-arranged league game against Berwick as we prepare as thoroughly as possible."

Montrose occupy bottom spot in the Third Division with five points from their 13 games and last Saturday's Scottish Cup third-round 2-1 win against East Fife was their first home win of the season. Montrose are managed by former Hibs defender Steven Tweed. Ross Macnamara, the Edinburgh City captain, added: "Obviously we wanted Hearts, Hibs, Rangers or Celtic but it was not to be so we then wanted a tie which we have a chance of winning and that is exactly what we have been given.

"This is definitely a winnable game because we are at home and Montrose will have to adapt from playing on their own all-weather surface.

"That should give us a bit of an advantage although they have players with experience who play at a higher level than us every week.

"No doubt, Montrose will also be delighted with the draw but if we play like we did when we beat Keith at the weekend then we will be there or thereabouts."