CSS manager eyes final after securing club's league status

The Strollers were languishing in third bottom spot in the Central Taxis Premier Division when Aitchison took charge and he immediately set about refocusing his squad. "When I went into the job my main objective was to cement our position in the Premier Division," said Aitchison. "To be in the semi-final of the League Cup is an added bonus because we finished in mid-table."

The two clubs are meeting for the second occasion in seven days, the Strollers having defeated the students 1-0 at the same venue in the league only last Saturday, thanks to a Peter Newby free kick although the University came close to creating an equaliser in the latter stages of the contest.

"I thought that it was a good game in which both teams looked hungry," said Aitchison. "I felt that we matched their fitness which was very encouraging because since I inherited the squad most of them have been playing every week without a rest. I was delighted with the result and overall I felt that we created the better chances and their goalkeeper was much busier than ours.

"On Tuesday I watched the University play Leith Athletic in the quarter-final and I again thought they played some very nice football and their Premier Division experience was evident. We don't want this to be our last game of the season and I know that Edinburgh University will be thinking the same.

"We have had some good victories during April and May against Tynecastle, Selkirk and Kelso United and that has been down to how hard the whole team has worked.

"The boys are all looking forward to the game although we will be missing a few players who are unavailable."

Aitchison is likely to be without Peter Newby, Liam Jack and Russell Hogarth although he hopes to welcome back Paul Weatherstone, John Dunn and Gary Calvey.

"We should have a strong team, even although we may only have 12 or 13 players available," added Aitchison. "Both teams will be going all out for a win and it promises to be a great game."

For Edinburgh University this is their 47th game in a gruelling season which has seen them progress to the final of the British Universities and Colleges Championship where they narrowly lost out last week to Hartpury College in a 4-2 defeat at Bramall Lane.

Neil Irvine, the University's assistant coach/player reflected on last Saturday's 1-0 loss to the Strollers by saying: "To be honest we were disappointed with our first-half performance and felt that it was definitely a mixture of a hangover from the cup final plus many of our players were involved in exams.

"For various reason we were not at full strength but we are certainly not making any excuses because I was impressed with the Strollers. It was only in the latter stages of the second half that we truly showed the way we can play.

"However, we got back on track against Leith in the quarter-final on Tuesday night with a 2-0 win and that means we go into tomorrow's game with the players having regained their confidence.

"We know that the Strollers are well organised, they are fit, they work hard and they have talented players therefore it will be another tough game. Four of our players - Alasdair MacKinnon, Peder Beck-Friis, Gordon Milne and Graham Hunter - all graduate this summer and we do not want tomorrow to be their last game. We want to make it to the final.

"That will be a major driver for us all because we are genuinely all one big family. All of our players will show great desire and hunger which, coupled with their undoubted quality, should make for a very competitive game against the Strollers. We know what their strengths are and I don't think that there is much between the teams."

Douglas Samuel, the University head coach, had the final word when he said: "We don't want our journey to end tomorrow so we will be giving one more push with the goal of reaching another cup final and ending the season on a high."

The game kicks-off at 2.30pm at Telford College Sports Ground.