Long journeys drain resources

Oct 29 2009 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

BLANTYRE Vics, Shotts Bon Accord and Royal Albert will all head north to Aberdeen for Emirates Scottish Junior Cup second round action this weekend.

That will cause a cash blow all round – especially for Vics, who face a trip to Ellon, 30 minutes further north than first-round opponents Banks O’Dee.

But Albert are onto a winner before they even board the bus, having clinched a travel sponsorship package with Clyde Valley Kindergarten in Crossford, which is one of the local business interests of former Scotland and Rangers captain Barry Ferguson.

Albert assistant boss John MacDonald said: “Barry has helped out the Albert on several occasions with gifts for fundraising efforts and this gesture is greatly appreciated.

“It’s debatable whether we could have afforded to make this trip without his generous backing.”

Albert head north in optimistic mood, on the back of a 3-1 league win over Newmains United – but they will be minus young full- back Graham Anderson, who was stretchered off with a knee injury.

Manager Iain McCluskie said: “I was really pleased with their second-half performance, which hopefully will give us confidence for the cup tie.”

Blantyre Vics will be without midfielder Colin Boylan and striker Andy Forrester for the trip north, while club captain Brian Glancy is doubtful.

But Steven Smith has recovered from bruised ribs and young full-backs David Campbell and Mike Docherty came through their weekend comeback.

Manager Willie Harvey said: “It’s another expensive trip which again reinforces my call to regionalise the early rounds.

“We don’t know much about them other than Banks O’Dee beat then 2-1 a few weeks ago, and they won 2-1 on Saturday to stay in mid-table.

“I doubt if we’ll be the surprise package we might have been in the first round.”

For their trip to Stoneywood Shotts Bon Accord expect to deploy versatile new signing Tony Fleming, a 23-year-old defender/midfielder who was snapped up from Livingston United, but they could be missing striker Mark McKeever and right-back Paul Finnegan, both through ankle injuries.

Manager Tony McInally said: “Stoneywood have started the season quite well and we will need to have the right game mentality to go up there and do a professional job.”