PETERSHILL goalkeeper Stevie McNeil has his sights set on racking up a third consecutive clean sheet on Saturday.

But the experienced No.1 knows putting up the shutters will not be easy when he and his Springburn team-mates take to the road to face Hill O’ Beath in their ETHXenergy Scottish Junior Cup fourth-round clash.

The trip into the Fife heartlands is not quite uncharted territory for Peasy skipper McNeil who has fond memories of visiting Keir Park as a Rob Roy player at the same last 32 stage of the 2011 Scottish Cup competition.

He said: "It was a pretty intimidating venue seeing as the diehard Haws supporters were right up against the pitch and it only added to the pressure on my shoulders that I was making my Rabs debut.

“I remember we played well, but were trailing 1-0 land looking dead going into the closing stages until Thomas Sinclair came off the bench to snatch an equaliser to earn an Adamslie Park replay which we won 2-1 in a right ding-dong of a cup tie.

“Unfortunately, we lost out to Dalry Thistle in the quarter-finals which remains the furthest I’ve ever gone in the Scottish - up to now.”

He added: "Hill O’ Beath are a side with a great cup tradition, but Petershill are in the same boat and I’d like to think we can raise our game and come good in the same way we did in earlier round victories over Musselburgh Athletic and Newtongrange Star.

“We’ve held a hoodoo sign on top East Region sides and long may it continue.”

McNeil has played outstandingly well between the sticks this season and has thrived on the responsibility of skippering a fairly youthful Petershill side.

He said: " I’ve taken great pride in the honour leading the guys out and it’s changed me as a person as I find myself taking a more serious approach to the game and feeling less inclined to take part in dressing room shenanigans.

“And I’m happy with my own recent performances albeit the guys in front of me deserve a lot of credit for letting little past them.

“We went to Newcastle for our Xmas night out and I happened to meet up with the former Rangers and Scotland goalkeeper Alan McGregor whose sound advice to me was to “be effective rather than a hero” and I’m trying to do just that in every game.”

Meanwhile, striker Stephen McGladrigan has handed Peasy supporters a massive boost by returning to training after cruciate ligament surgery. though the Hill O’ Beath encounter is coming too early for him according to team boss Willie Patterson.

He said: "Glad’s mobility is good and he’s striking a ball with no ill effects but a playing comeback is 2/3 weeks down the line at best and only if he wants to get about it.”

Turning to his side’s Cup tester, Willie revealed: “We’ve done our homework and know Hill O’ Beath are a big and powerful side with a few influential players so our guys have been warned to expect a tough 90 minutes.

“But that’s the norm for Petershill since I took up the reins as we never seem to get it easy in Scottish Cup ties but I much prefer it this way because you need to beat these top teams if you want to get your hands on the trophy.”

Petershill will be extra fired up to secure a last 16 place after SJFA chiefs revealed that no less than Glasgow City Council will host the fifth Round draw for the ETHXenergy Scottish Junior Cup in the City Chambers on Thursday, January 28, at 2pm.

Meanwhile, hard on the heels of Junior boss Hugh Kelly stepping away from Shettleston’s dugout comes word of yet another long serving Glasgow club’s gaffer intimating he will quit his post at the end of this season.

Meanwhile, St Anthony's boss James McKenna aims to bring the curtain down on a 35-year tenure with the famous old Govan outfit, the last 18 as team manager and he is committed to preserving his side’s Central First Division status before calling it a day.

Jamesie said: "Junior football will forever be in my blood but the time has come to stand aside and let someone else take up the reins.

“I will still take in games and look to pick up players for the Ants but my days of standing in the dugout will be coming to an end and I desperately want to avoid that milestone being marked by our relegation.

“Losing a full team of players since the start of the season has left us struggling but there’s still time to pick up points and get ourselves clear of danger starting with our game against Dunipace this week.”