SHOTTS BON ACCORD assistant boss John Gibson is adamant his players will not be distracted by news that Rob Roy's outstanding ace Chris Duff is set to be posted missing in tonight's Super Premier Division play-off match.

Gibby had earmarked Duff as one of the Rabs main dangermen going into the Hannah Park locking of horns.

However, the winger is rated a definite non-starter after being the victim of a robust challenge in his side's meaningless weekend league match with Rutherglen Glencairn that forced him to limp off in obvious distress with less than 15 minutes on the clock.

A precautionary visit to hospital revealed nothing more than soft tissue damage, however the winger is not expected to make a speedy recovery and the likelihood is he will now receive round-the-clock treatment to try and have him ready for Thursday night's crunch second-leg clash at Guys Meadow.

The Shotts No.2 said: "Duff is a player whose ability to take on defenders in the final third makes him a potential match-winner on his day so Rob Roy will undoubtedly miss him, but it's not as if there is any shortage of replacement options given they boast a squad of 20-plus players.

"I'd bite your hand off to be in their dressing room situation as the probability is we will have 12 signed players at best and that's only if Gary McStay recovers from a bug that sidelined him against Hurlford United on Saturday and Jordan White is in reasonable fettle flying back in from a stag weekend last night.

"He is likely to be needed up front seeing as Tony Traynor is ruled out with a hamstring pull and chances are we will throw Jack Marriot in at the deep end even though he hasn't played in the last six months.

"It's not the first time our squad has been virtually down to the bare bones as we have struggled for numbers most of this season, therefore I take any word of Rob Roy having a selection headache with a pinch of salt."

Gibby's counterpart Paul Ronald, taking charge of the visiting Rabs in the absence of team boss Stewart Maxwell, currently out in Thailand representing Scotland in the Senior World Cup, revealed: "The intention was to rest up as many players as possible against Glencairn so the likes of Willie Sawyers, Kevin Watt and Paul Finnigan were omitted from our line-up that only included Duff because we felt he and John Carter could do with 45 minute run-outs.

"Unfortunately he took a sore one early on and is now struggling to make Thursday's game let alone tonight and his absence is exacerbated by Scott Upton missing out because of holiday commitments.

"We'd have preferred to have everyone fit and available but both teams are in the same boat and we just need to get on with it."

Ronald's recollections of losing out to Shotts in the play-off last season has him convinced that nothing will be decided in the Hannah Park showdown.

He said: "Conceding a bizarre goal left us settling for a 1-1 draw in the first leg but we had played really well so everyone was in confident mood going into the return game yet we ended up taking a pasting.

"That experience is still fresh in our minds so we know a solid performance is needed tonight to set us up for when the tie will be won or lost on Thursday.

"As you might expect we are rated underdogs but favourites don't always come out on top ... as we know only too well."

LAST NIGHT

Stagecoach Central District First: Dunipace X Renfrew X.

TONIGHT

Stagecoach League Super Premier play-off, first leg: Shotts Bon Accord v Rob Roy (7.30pm).

TOMORROW

Stagecoach League Central First Division: Renfrew v Maryhill, Benburb v Larkhall Thistle, Wishaw v Blantyre Vics (7.30pm).

THURSDAY

Stagecoach League Super Premier play-off, second leg: Rob Roy v Shotts Bon Accord (7.30pm).

SATURDAY

Euroscot Eng Central League Cup quarter-finals: Blantyre Vics v Carluke Rovers, Vale of Clyde v Cumbernauld Utd (both 2pm).

SUNDAY

Dyslexia Scotland Junior Cup Final: Auchinleck Talbot v Musselburgh Athletic (4.05pm Rugby Park).