Linlithgow must get set for an East-West confrontation

LOTHIANS clubs from the East Seniors and Juniors ranks were given their moment in the spotlight yesterday when the draw for the first round of the Scottish Cup was made and Linlithgow Rose found themselves the centre of attention.

The expanded first-round format of the competition replaced the qualifying cup system in season 2007-08 and introduced the winners of Scotland's various top-flight Junior leagues plus the winner of the Scottish Junior Cup - but Linlithgow boss Dave Baikie was left with a difficult draw against Beith whose social club hosted the draw.

"Not the draw we would have wished for," said Baikie after his Junior Cup-winning side were drawn against "The best in the west," as he sees the West Super League champions.

There were roars of approval from the large crowd when Beith were drawn by local hero Gus McPherson only for groans of despair to ring round the room as Tommy Coyne pulled out Linlithgow Rose, the current Scottish Cup holders.

Coyne's son Tommy Junior of course plays his football for the Rose.

"We'll go there to win the game and just get on with it," Baikie went on. "It'll be a tough game for both sides and in front of a big crowd."Beith manager John Millar said: "My first reaction is a disappointment that the two top junior sides have been drawn against each other. It's our first involvement in the Scottish Cup and one we are really looking forward to it. We have had a good start to the season having played eight games without conceding a goal. But with opposition like Linlithgow the players will be up for this."

Beith President John Boal was quick to realise what the game holds for the club. "Already we are looking at making this tie an all -ticket game with a crowd limit of 2000-2500 because there are no other Junior games played that Saturday," he explained. "We have a lot of experienced players here with three Junior internationalists."

Meanwhile, Bo'ness, the current East Super League title holders, were drawn away from home to East Seniors Premier Division side Selkirk.

"We're quite happy with the draw," said Bo'ness manager Willie Newbigging. "It could have been a lot harder, without taking anything away from Selkirk. If we play as we can then we will do well but last season our cup campaigns were poor so we'll need to improve. It's a tough test for us but it's one were feeling confident about."

The bulk of the Lothian teams in the draw yesterday were East Seniors sides, of course, and Edinburgh City, who defeated Highland League side Clachnacuddin from Inverness in a replay only two seasons ago, have been drawn with the same opponents at Meadowbank Stadium. City have had an indifferent start to their Premier Division campaign with no wins and only two draws from their opening four fixtures and joint manager John Green said: "In the past four seasons we have had good results against Highland League teams and last year we reached the fourth round where we were narrowly defeated by Montrose.

"We are at home which is good although I don't know too much about Clachnacuddin so we will now start doing our homework. It will be a difficult tie because we have not really got going yet but I am happy to be playing a Highland League side rather than another East of Scotland League team."

Civil Service Strollers have a home tie against South of Scotland League side Wigtown & Bladnoch. "It's not a bad draw," said Strollers joint-manager Keith Stewart. "It's at our own patch so their is no long route march to get anywhere. We are not yet playing to our full ability so we have three weeks to rectify some aspects of our play."

Preston Athletic have been handed an away trip to the south-west where they will face Newton Stewart. "Obviously we would have preferred a home tie," said Preston boss Stevie Myatt.

"We went there five years ago to play them in a Scottish Qualifying Cup game and they made it very difficult for us although we won 4-2. Such are circumstances at Preston at present because of work commitments and injuries that our small squad is stretched. However, we will have Newton Stewart watched and it's definitely a winnable tie."

The students of Edinburgh University have also drawn Highland League opposition in the form of Brora Rangers while Whitehill Welfare travel north to meet Lossiemouth, Gala Fairydean await Sunnybank Juniors from Aberdeen, Coldstream host Forres Mechanics, Hawick Royal Albert face Dalbeattie Star and Vale of Leithen are at home to Highland League side Keith for the second successive season.

Additional reporting by Keith Anderson

Scottish Cup draw: (ties to be played on Saturday 25 September) Golspie Sutherland v Fort William; Rothes v Nairn County; Civil Service Strollers v Wigtown & Bladnoch; Edinburgh City v Clachnacuddin; Glasgow University v Burntisland Shipyard; Beith v Linlithgow Rose; Coldstream v Forres Mechanics; Fraserburgh v St Cuthbert Wanderers; Hawick Royal Albert v Dalbeattie Star; Newton Stewart v Preston Athletic; Edinburgh University v Brora Rangers; Deveronvale v Inverurie Loco Works; Lossiemouth v Whitehill Welfare; Vale of Leithen v Keith; Huntly v Girvan, Selkirk v Bo'ness United; Gala Fairydean v Sunnybank Juniors. Bye; Wick Academy.

Beni not useless - Page 49