Ronald happy to put league on back burner and concentrate on Cup

BO’NESS boss Paul Ronald is hoping Auchinleck Talbot will be lulled into a false sense of security – after romping to a 5-1 aggregate win when the two sides met in the semi- finals of last season’s Emirates Scottish Junior Cup.

It’s a new-look Bo’ness side heading to Ayrshire for tomorrow’s mouth-watering quarter-final tie and Ronald, one of the changes after taking over from Willie Newbigging in the summer, reckons the holders could be in for a surprise.

“Hopefully they’ll take us lightly based on the two games they played against Bo’ness last season,” he said. “It’s a different Bo’ness team now and we’ll be heading there aiming to record a better result for the club.”

It’s a big test for Ronald and No. 2 Willie Wilson – but one they’re ready for after kick-starting this Cup campaign with a win over local rivals Linlithgow.

“It’s a big game, no doubt about it, but hopefully there will be bigger games still to come this season, including a cup final and a league title win,” he said.

Ronald watched Talbot, comfortable winners at Musselburgh earlier in the campaign, beat Larkhall 4-0 a fortnight ago, when his own side were recording an even bigger win – 8-0 – against Dunbar in the Fife & Lothians Cup.

“They looked a decent outfit,” he said. “As everyone always says about them, they work hard first and foremost.”

One downside – if it can be called that – of their Cup run is that Bo’ness are going to be faced with a mammoth fixture backlog.

“We’re well aware that Linlithgow are racking up the points in the league but we’re delighted to still be in the Cup – I wouldn’t want it any other way,” insisted the manager.