Forres Mechanics are up for the cup against Brora Rangers after 1-1 draw with Deveronvale
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FORRES Mechanics will be hoping to end their Brora Rangers hoodoo when they travel north to take on the Cattachs in the Highland League Cup on Saturday.
The Can-Cans have struggled against Brora in recent years – losing 8-0 at Mosset Park in their last two efforts against them at home.
However, there are hopes that this quarter-final tie, which Forres reached by surprising Banks O’ Dee with a 4-2 win in Aberdeen, can be different.
Cans manager Steven MacDonald said: “Brora have a very talented squad filled with good players.
“They haven’t quite clicked yet, so everyone is fearing that it’ll be the game against them that they put things together.
“We need to make sure we are at our best to deal with them. They beat us twice last year and thrashed us at Forres, but we are in a more positive position now with the way the team is playing.
“They’ll be favourites. We can beat these teams, but only if we do the right things – we have to prove we can provide a shock again.”
The Cans were, for the first time this campaign, below par in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Deveronvale, MacDonald said. The game at Princess Royal Park was one the Cans were targetting three points in.
“I feel it’s two points dropped, but I don’t think we deserved all three,” MacDonald said.
“We went into the game on a high and they had a bad result (a 9-0 loss versus Fraserburgh) the week before, which we knew they’d react to. We got an early goal and were in a position that we should have kicked on from but we never did.
“I wasn’t happy with the way we played. The draw was probably a fair result.
“It’s the first time we have really been below par this season. We can put it down to a one-off just now.”
Calum Frame scored the Cans goal in the sixth minute, but Rogan Read levelled for Vale with 20 to play.
The first round of the Scottish Cup has handed Forres another trip to the north – this time to take on Golspie Sutherland.
“It’s one of the better draws, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy,” MacDonald added. “It would have been better at home, it’ll be far more difficult on their pitch.
"We have got to be content with the draw, but there have been a long list of shocks at Golspie so we have got to give them respect."
The tie takes place on Saturday, September 23.
Callum Howarth is set to return to the squad for Saturday, while Dylan Lawrence is expected to be fit to start. Callum Johnston continues to work away.
