Forres Mechanics boss hopes home draw helps
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FORRES Mechanics manager Charlie Rowley hopes home advantage can help guide his side through a tough Scottish Cup tie against junior side Banks O’ Dee tomorrow.
The Aberdeen side have won the North Region Junior League four times in succession and will provide stern opposition – having defeated several Highland League sides, including Fraserburgh, on the way to reaching their sixth Aberdeenshire Shield final in 12 years last season.
But Rowley hopes home comforts can help the Cans overcome their first round opponents. He said: “There’s no doubt if they were in the Highland League they would be a top of the table side.
“But we have got home advantage which we feel could be key on the day.
“We have watched them twice and got the run down on the personnel they have got, what they are capable of and what they are not capable of. They’ll be looking to make a name for themselves by doing what they did last year and beating quality Highland League sides but we have to counteract that with our experience and some of the real quality we have got. It won’t be easy, that’s for sure.”
Mechanics were beaten by the better team at Formartine United on Saturday, according to Rowley, as their tricky start to the season fixture-wise continued.
The Cans fell behind to an Andrew Greig goal two minutes before half-time, before second half goals from Scott Lisle and Graeme Rodger sealed the hosts’ 3-0 win.
Rowley said: “We weren’t at our best but I wouldn’t have said it was a poor performance. We were just beaten by the better side.
“They said it was the best they have played all season.
“The goal before the break knocked the stuffing out of us. On another day it might have been a different story but I think that put paid to any chance we had given how they were performing.”
Ross MacPherson played on Monday as the under 20s lost against Elgin City’s 20s, Calum Howarth is touch and go for Saturday’s match with a hamstring injury and Stuart Soane should make it.
Lee Fraser made his long-awaited return playing 15 minutes of the 20s match, but is unlikely to play this weekend.
Kick-off at Mosset Park is 3pm.
