Wildcats are underdogs

ARTHUR McKAY  MEN`S SCOTTISH CUP SEMI-FINALS 
– PEFFERMILL ON SUNDAY 01 APRIL 2012

Western Wildcats may be underdogs for their Arthur McKay
Scottish Cup semi-final against favourites and newly crowned league
champions Glynhill Kelburne at Peffermill, but that was exactly the
scenario a year ago in the final, and the Auchenhowie pack emerged
5-4 winners that day.  

Can lightning strike again?   Vishal Marwaha,
a player then and now the Wildcats` coach, is cautious and
also confident.   “We know it is going to be very tough,
Kelburne are the best team in the country and have dominated the
league this year.  However, we go in with confidence and will
reflect on our performance in the final last season.”

That day the Wildcats certainly had their claws out and ripped
apart Kelburne`s aspirations for the double with a thrilling 5-4
victory, evergreen Scott McCartney (2), bothers Joe and Douglas
Simpson, and veteran Andrew Sewnauth from a penalty corner did the
damage.   McCartney in particular has been a lethal
predator, 26 goals in the league is testament to that, and in
Western`s last two outings against AMN Hillhead and VWS Dundee
Wanderers the former international striker has scored all seven
goals.

However, it was Kelburne who completely dominated the only
league game between the two sides, the Paisley side gave the
Wildcats a 7-1 mauling, Alan Forsyth, Chris Nelson and Jonny
Christie all scored twice.

But the champions have the added distraction of a league
encounter with second placed Grange the day before, while the
Wildcats can rest their legs. 

“We need only look back 12 months to last year`s final to prove
that you have to be 100% on song to win these one-off games against
your closest rivals.  Also, in the last few games their main
striker Scott McCartney appears to be in an amazing run of goal
scoring form, so we will have to be on our toes from the first
whistle to try and minimise that threat, ” said Harry Coles,
Kelburne`s manager.

“As a team we are always confident that we can score a goal or
two ourselves.   So it has all the ingredients for what
should be a cracking cup tie,” Coles continued.

The tie has all the hallmarks of a free-flowing, high-scoring
affair, with Simpson and McCartney trying to outshoot the Paisley
striking duo of Alan Forsyth and Jonny Christie, and it would not
be a surprise if the total goal tally did not make double
figures.

The intrigue in the other cup tie is the local derby element
between Grange and Inverleith.   Until last weekend
Grange, second in the league and with an unbeaten run of nine
games, would be favourites for the contest, but last weekend the
Edinburgh side found themselves 3-2 down to Hillhead, only to be
saved by an incursion of fog.  

A fact not lost on Rob Barr, Grange`s captain:  “As we
found out last week, no game is ever easy, particularly against
your local rival in a semi-final of the Scottish
Cup.     Despite winning 4-0 recently in the
league, I expect this game to be much closer as we have a few key
players out and also a very tough league game away to Kelburne the
day before, while Inverleith have the day off

“We will have to wait and see who is fit to play in the cup, but
it could be a game of tired legs against a fit and fresh side, so
we will have to be at our very best and hope a few things go our
way to get through to the final.”  

Honours are even between the sides in terms of results in the
league this season but Stevie McCurry, Inverleith`s coach, must be
concerned about only one point in the last four league
outings.  In particular, McCurry`s charges seem to have taken
their eye off the ball in the defence department, the loss of 17
goals in these four games is hardly silverware-winning form.

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