MASSIVE Citylink Scottish Cup-tie approaching ... Super Premier race entering a crucial phase ... Bryan Dingwall touch and go with injury - sound familiar, Pollok fans?
MASSIVE Citylink Scottish Cup-tie approaching ... Super Premier race entering a crucial phase ... Bryan Dingwall touch and go with injury - sound familiar, Pollok fans?
That's exactly how events played out last season when the Newlandsfield men lost 1-0 in a quarter-final to eventual trophy winners Linlithgow.
It's regarded as one of those "if-only" occasions by the black-and-white-scarved legions and there are fears over a repeat as Lok attempt to lift the silverware for the first time since 1997.
Prolific striker Dingwall eventually failed a fitness test for the epic Prestonfield clash and now, almost a year down the line, albeit one Citylink round earlier, the Southsiders are about to lock horns in a make-or-break Scottish replay against another East Region big gun, Tayport.
And yet again a cruel twist of injury fate looks set to sideline Dingy and leave his team depleted of their No.1 striking option.
He is struggling to overcome a niggling hamstring injury which kept him out of the 1-1 draw up on Tayside and has so far prevented him training alongside his team-mates this week.
To further exacerbate Pollok's forward line woes, first-choice replacement option and scorer of their first game equaliser, Alan Waddell, is himself rated extremely doubtful with an ankle ligament strain which forced him to limp off in the second half at Canniepairt.
The dilemma now facing Lok gaffer Rab Sneddon is whether to take a gamble on Scotland ace Dingwall, as any further aggravation of his injury could rule him out for anything up to six weeks going into a crucial stage of the season.
And neither does it help to be making this crunch judgment call from his own sick bed, where he is currently laid up with a bout of pleurisy that saw him miss the game last weekend and may yet preclude the boss from taking up his regular Newlandsfield touchline beat for the replay.
Sneddon said: "Dingy and Alan have been on the treatment table all week which can hardly be described as the best preparation for a game of this importance.
"However, both are desperate to play so we'll delay any decision until they have the opportunity to prove their fitness closer to kick-off. I can sympathise with their situation as I'm in the same boat myself waiting to see whether a visit to my doctor tomorrow will result in the go-ahead for my own participation."
If neither of the injured duo make it, Sneddon will most likely promote Davie Turnbull into a forward role alongside Robert Downs as fielding front man James Tyler would represent a massive gamble as he has yet to make his first Pollok start since signing from Saltcoats last October.
A positional switch for the versatile "Bull" will allow Raymond Logan to reclaim his place at the heart of the Lok boiler room, while another midfield tweak could result in Richie Newall or Paul Hyslop getting the nod in front of Brian Mackay.
Meanwhile, the confidence boost derived by Rob Roy from battling back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 against Musselburgh should count in their favour when the East Region side travel to Adamslie Park.
AN arguably stiffer test awaits Ayrshire District high-flyers Whitletts, who may regret not killing off Fife hopefuls Ballingry at the first time of asking.
Elsewhere, the prospect of further heavy rains over the next 48 hours has sparked some top-flight clubs into switching their fixtures.
Shotts officials have resigned themselves to Hannah Park being deemed unplayable for their game against Irvine Meadow and have agreed to a fixture change that will see the Super Premier clash take place at Meadow Park.
And Auchinleck will travel to Duncansfield for their meeting with Kilsyth rather than risk the probability of Beechwood Park failing a pitch inspection.
