IRVINE VICS manager Stevie Wilson admits he was delighted with his side’s “back door entry” into the Ardagh Glass Cup semi-finals as he reckons his playing charges are not feeling any pressure ahead of facing last four opponents Auchinleck Talbot tonight.

The Victoria Park clash promises to be the icing on the cake of an astonishingly eventful four games in eight days schedule for the Vics which kicked off when they were left bemoaning their luck last Wednesday night following an agonising 4-2 penalty-kicks shoot-out defeat by Kilwinning Rangers in the Ardagh Cup last eight.

The Vics boss revealed: “We fully deserved to be in the quarter-finals after starting the season well by scoring 14 goals as well as conceding only four times in the sectional games and the players then gave a great account of themselves in twice coming from a goal down to draw 2-2 against a decent Buffs team before losing out on spot kicks.

“There was no time to feel sorry for ourselves as just 48 hours later we took on our neighbours Irvine Meadow in the annual Marymass Cup game and deservedly ran out 3-1 winners through a couple of Kevin Adam goals and another by Sean Mears.

“Medda’s management team gave my team talk for me in coming out in the newspapers beforehand to say they had a game plan to beat us and the result was my players were really fired up for the game and served up a terrific performance.

“We enjoyed our victory celebrations that night, however even better news came via a West Region telephone call the following morning which indicated Kilwinning Rangers had fielded an ineligible player in the Abbey Park game…alleged to be the former Talbot defender Jamie Whyte…therefore Irvine Vics were being awarded the tie and a place in the semi-finals.”

Playing the Marymass Cup game last Friday night had seen the Vics move their scheduled Ayrshire District league game away to Lugar Boswell to Monday yet there was little evidence of fatigue as goals from Adam, Paul Young and Dylan Hamilton (2) saw the Vics post a resounding 4-1 triumph.

Ambitious gaffer Wilson admitted: “Doing well in the league to give ourselves a shot at promotion is our number one aim so we held nothing back against Lugar though as soon as our third goal went in, I immediately took guys off to rest them up for playing against Talbot.

“Overall it was a pleasing and very professional display that has set us up nicely for the semi-final which I’m looking upon as a 'free hit' for the players as a week ago we were out of this Ardagh Glass competition.

“Our supporters are understandably excited about their team going up against one of Junior football’s big names and if our schedule of games has not taken too much out of the players’ legs then I’m hoping we can compete and make a game of it.

“I’m certainly not running scared at the prospect even though my old Ardrossan Winton Rovers team-mate Tommy Sloan has done a magnificent job of making Auchinleck Talbot the most feared team in the Junior game.

“He’s been rebuilding his squad over the summer months and it makes me laugh when people talk of Talbot not being the team they were because here we are in the latter stages of the first cup competition of the season and they are one of the last four standing.”

Wilson's hopes of pulling off a cup upset have been dented by injury woes which see former Harmony Row Under 21’s Scottish Cup winner Grant Bolton ruled out by damaged ankle ligaments on top of ex-Dirrans Athletic centre-back Pete Wood being rated a non-starter after breaking his wrist in a sickening collision with Victoria Park’s boundary wall during the game against Irvine Meadow.

Wilson added: “David Smith is also struggling to recover from a groin strain and an injury doubt hangs over our back-up goalkeeper George Scott so we could be better prepared for a game of this magnitude.

“But, that said, I’m looking forward to the game and so is everyone inside our dressing room as you might expect given we have remained unbeaten over 90 minutes in games against Super Premier Division pair Hurlford United and Kilwinning this season.

“Auchinleck will no doubt present our toughest examination to date but it’s one we can come through particularly if we can stay tight defensively and give nothing away early doors.

“We have the forward going players to pose problems at the other end of the pitch with Kevin Adam making a superb start to the season while both Eddie Ablohr and Davie Adams have had their moments.

“For sure there’s a gulf between the top division and the District League but I firmly believe we have the players to show the gulf is not as big as people might think.”

The other half of the Ardagh Glass Cup draw has Glenafton awaiting the visit to Loch Park of top-flight rivals Hurlford United with both sides desperate to bounce back from heavy weekend defeats.

United gaffer Darren Henderson said: “Southy (Glens boss Craig McEwan) and I do share the same problem and that is how to get players down to New Cumnock in time for a 6.30pm kick-off.

“There is little wrong with our teams as the Glens may have lost 5-0 to Beith on Saturday but it did not escape my notice that their captain and defensive cornerstone Craig Menzies was posted missing so his return will make a huge difference.

“And we were beaten 4-1 by Auchinleck but truth is the scoreline flatters them as we were the better team for over an hour despite going down to 10 men with the red carding of Glen Mitchell after just 11 minutes played.

“I think tonight’s game will be a hard fought and close contest with maybe only a goal separating the teams come the final whistle.”

TONIGHT'S FIXTURES

(Kick Offs 6.30PM)

Central Sectional Cup quarter-final: Pollok v Forth Wanderers. Semi-final: Cambuslang Rangers v Clydebank. Ardagh Glass Cup semi-finals: Glenafton v Hurlford Utd, Irvine Vics v Auchinleck Talbot.