Wake: Don’t underestimate East Stirling

Jul 19 2007

BRIAN Wake this week warned his Hamilton team-mates not to underestimate Third Division minnows East Stirling after being drawn against them in the CIS Cup first round.

Gordon Wylde’s side visit New Douglas Park on Tuesday, August 7.

Wake (24), said that the Firs Park club will want to make a name for themselves and warned Accies to be wary.

He said: “We’re probably expected to win the game so it would be nice to get through that and try and get a good Cup run.

“East Stirling will come here looking to claim a scalp, and you get no easy games. At New Douglas Park we fancy ourselves against anyone really, so we just look to keep our home form going, like we have over the last couple of seasons.”

Boss Billy Reid has brought more forwards to the club this summer, in the form of Neil Teggart and Kevin Davison, adding to existing hitmen Richard Offiong and Paul McLeod and Wake reckons competition for places will make Accies red-hot this season.

He said: “It’s going to be tough to get into the team but all I can do is work hard, do as well as I can in the friendlies, and try to stake a claim.

“Competition for places has got to spur you on; we want as strong a squad as possible here to try to compete at the top end of the table.

“We know that if we’re not doing our job we’re not going to be playing and won’t get a chance.”

Having missed most of the last pre-season build-up through a hip injury, Wake is glad to be getting fitter and sharper ahead of the August 4 kick-off.

He said: “I was out for about 10 to 12 weeks with a hip problem and when you miss pre-season and the games you’re always playing catch-up but I’ve come back, I feel quite fit at the minute and hopefully I can stay injury-free, try and make an impact in the games, and do as well as I can.”

He added: “Things are shaping up well and it’s going to be a tough season but hopefully we can do well as a team and compete at the top end of the table.

“We’ve got to be looking to challenge at the top end of the table. Obviously we can’t say we’re going to do this or that, but with our squad we wouldn’t be doing ourselves justice if we didn’t challenge.”

l Accies will discover their Challenge Cup first-round opponents in the new ‘regional’ competition when the draw is made on Tuesday.