FOR all sorts of reasons, Glasgow Perthshire face a huge challenge in trying to overcome Cambuslang Rangers tonight, but one stands out.

Billy Adams, the longest standing Junior team boss in West Region circles, is not going to have a headache in settling on his Keppoch Park starting line-up for the first of this season’s Evening Times Champions Cup semi-finals… as he only has 11 players at his beck and call.

A mixture of work commitments and injuries - the latest, a Monday night training ground mishap ruling out one-time Partick Thistle midfielder Andy Gibson - have decimated the Shire gaffer’s selection hand and forced him into frantically telephoning around his local amateur contacts looking for players to make up numbers.

Adams revealed: “We were already down to the bare bones before Monday night having discounted Stewart Brodie, Paul Hanlon and J.P. Craig from our team plans.

“But then Gibby, who had declared himself fit after sitting out the past few weeks with a calf muscle problem, suffered a recurrence of his injury when the players were having a kickabout at the end of training and he’s now another non-starter.

“It’s never ideal to have key players missing in important games but we won through against a decent Darvel side in the last round with a below strength line-up so who’s to say we cannot do the business again.

“People are saying it will be a fairytale if we get through to the final but for me the real fairytale is a club like Glasgow Perthshire just being in this competition.”

Visiting gaffer Paul McColl is refusing to accept his higher league Cambuslang Rangers side should be rated favourites to come out on top in tonight’s clash.

He insisted: “Going up against the Shire is always difficult and particularly in their own backyard so I don’t expect things to be any different tonight.

“I stay within five minutes of Keppoch and have taken in a fair number of the Shire games this season so I’m well aware of the battling qualities you always associate with Billy’s players but what should not be overlooked is the fact his team is also very well organised

“Their midfield press hard and doesn’t give opponents any time on the ball and they have decent forward going types in Fraser Malcolm, Craig Smith as well as the lad J.P. Craig who doesn’t shy away from putting himself about to unsettle defences.

“And at the back is the experienced central defensive pairing of Mark Thomson, someone still capable of playing at the very top level of Junior football, alongside the physically powerful Davie Kirkwood.

“Big Kirky is a player I tried to sign a number of years ago only for him to turn me down in favour of staying at the Shire and I was looking forward to seeing how he would cope with our own giant John Gemmell but unfortunately the big man has been ruled out by a two-match suspension.

“Roberto Halliday and Hal Bohme are likewise banned and it’s a hammer blow to have three players of their quality ruled out going into a semi-final, however I'm still confident of fielding a strong starting XI.”

McColl was keeping his selection hand close to chest, however Lang insiders reckon the trio of Thomas “Deco” Kilmartin Dale Simeone and Liam Gormley will be vying for the forward line jerseys while George Scott and Jamie Hay will be deployed in engine room roles.

And set to be tasked with putting up the shutters in front of goalkeeper Ian Stewart is a backline containing seasoned heads James Brown and Mark Bishop.

The Wee Gers will be presented with their Central First Division trophy prize immediately after the final whistle tonight and McColl is hoping his playing charges have good cause to be smiling for photographers.

He admitted: “I fancy it might put a real dampener on things if we were to lose out to the Shire whereas getting through to a final and setting up the opportunity to land a league and cup double will have everyone on a high.

“People at the club tell me Cambuslang last lifted the Evening Times Cup in 1991 all of 26 years ago and I would love my players to have a crack at doing it again.”

In other games tonight, Kilsyth Rangers will be at full strength for the visit of Kilwinning Rangers in the Super Premier Play-Off first leg.

Full-backs David Waters (suspension) and Kevin McBride (flu) are both available for selection again as is midfielder Scott Upton despite his red carding in last Saturday’s 3-1 defeat of Irvine Vics that clinched third top spot in the Super First Division standings.

Duncansfield boss Keith Hogg revealed: “Scott ‘s suspension only kicks in ahead of the return game at Kilwinning on Friday night and we are further boosted by Franny Kelly making his comeback after injury and getting 20 minutes game time under his belt against the Vics.

“He could be an ace up our sleeve but we’ll wait and see if he suffers any reaction to playing again before deciding if he has a part to play.”

TONIGHT'S FIXTURES

(Kick-offs 7.30pm)

Evening Times Champions Cup semi-final: Glasgow Perthshire v Cambuslang Rangers.

Central League Cup semi-final: Pollok v Petershill.

Quarter-final: Benburb v Lesmahagow.

Ayrshire Cup quarter-final: Cumnock v Girvan.

McBookie.com Super Premier Play-Off First Leg: Kilsyth Rangers v Kilwinning Rangers.