Ramsdens Cup: Spiders and Partick are buoyant for derby clash

GLASGOW derbies are thin on the ground and tonight’s meeting of the city’s most senior football clubs, Queen’s Park and Partick Thistle, has added spice after both sides got off to flying starts in their SFL campaigns.

Spiders coach Gardner Speirs has still to decide if 17-year-old striker Lawrence Shankland, who scored both goals in last weekend’s 2-0 win over East Stirling off the bench, will start.

Jackie McNamara’s Jags opened their competitive season with cup wins over Clyde and Forfar and a 3-1 league victory over Falkirk.

Arbroath player/manager Paul Sheerin hopes his defence has learned from the 7-5 win at Elgin City in the last round of the cup. Angus rivals Forfar are the visitors to Gayfield, and Sheerin knows the threat from Dick Campbell’s men is going to come from former Red Lichtie Gavin Swankie.

Martyn Fotheringham is available for Forfar after a ban.

Colin Cameron hopes to pick Cowdenbeath up from the weekend’s 4-0 league defeat at the hands of Dunfermline when they host East Fife. Cameron, who has lost Mark Ramsay, Ruben Garcia Rey, Liam Cusack and David Cowan to injury, said: “Kick-off cannot come quick enough.”

The Bayview side will be keen to shake off the whitewash they suffered at the hands of the Blue Brazil in the Second Division last season. Gordon Durie is waiting on clearance for Collin Samuel. 
Steven Campbell is injured, while trialists Craig Wedderburn and Bob Malcolm are ineligible.

Morton’s long-time rivalry with Queen of the South is
renewed at Cappielow. Manager Allan Moore has Mark McLaughlin available as his suspension only counts for league games, while Martin Hardie could return. Willie Dyer and Peter MacDonald are injured.

Queens’ Derek Young is an injury doubt, while Willie Gibson and Kevin Smith are out.

Raith Rovers have a full squad for the visit of Third Division Montrose, who have Jonathan Crawford back after a ban, can also include Grant Mosson and fit-again captain Paul Lunan.

At Galabank, Annan look to keep their impressive history in the Ramsdens Cup of two semi-final appearances in their four seasons as a SFL club going by seeing off Stenhousemuir.

The Warriors welcome back Scott Buist and Brown Ferguson after illness and striker John Gemmell after suspension.

East Stirling striker Paul Quinn is in line for his first start against visitors Airdrie United.

Airdrie teenager Jamie Barclay looks set to keep his place in the Diamonds side after a stirring display in his side’s 4-1 weekend win over Dumbarton.