Budgie McGhie is far too savvy to come out and say he wants to put the boot into his old club Shettleston.

However, he is determined to steer Clydebank into the last 16 of this season's Scottish Junior Cup this afternoon.

That much was clear as the Bankies boss last night contemplated taking a team selection gamble of one sort or another ahead of the two sides locking horns at Holm Park.

The weight of supporters' expectations on his shoulders is huge going into the fourth-round tie, even though it would hardly be an upset of David v Goliath proportions if Super Premier bottom markers Clydebank were to suffer a cup exit against leading Super First Division promotion contenders Town.

But 54-year-old Budgie insists the only pressure he feels under is from the demands he makes upon himself.

He admitted: "It's great for fans if we can advance into the latter stages of the cup, but I look upon my biggest challenge as getting a team on the park to play consistently well and string together a sequence of victories.

"Unfortunately, that is easier said than done in light of a catalogue of injuries to beset us this season, and neither has the recent cold snap helped our cause in terms of getting players match practice.

"Both Graham Mort and Andy Irvine are back in full training, however neither of them has kicked a ball for weeks, and I'm swithering over whether it's right to throw them straight back in to a game of this importance.

"And although ex-Morton player David Verlaque physically looks capable of stepping into the Juniors, it's asking a lot to give him a first start against Shettleston when he's only managed a couple of training sessions and is still getting to know the other guys.

"Possibly that call will be taken away from me if Austin McCann fails to get over a debilitating groin problem that we have reason to believe could turn out to be a hernia.

"He's been playing through pain in recent outings despite his mobility being affected, however one of these days he will be forced into calling off and I just hope today's game is done and dusted first."

Word on the visiting team front is that winger Kyle Robertson may return to partner Scott Anson in attack as gaffer Hugh Kelly reports everyone fit and available barring long-term injury victim Brian McEwan.

Elsewhere, Blantyre Vics are "choking" for some playing action as they head through to face one of the leading East Region fancies Newtongrange Star.

Vics boss David Greig said: "There are several East v West contests, but we have arguably the toughest of the lot and we are going into the tie short of match practice after sitting idle for the last six weeks.

"Neither does it help that we are minus Ryan McGarry, Andy Sinclair and now Billy Davies after he broke his nose in a training ground collision, but the players have overcome all sorts of obstacles put before them this season so I'm not too despondent. Anything can happen in a one-off cup- tie."

Central First Division leading lights Bellshill will also be on the M8 heading East for a daunting head-to-head with Bonnyrigg Rose.

Bellshill gaffer Robert Downs fully expects his players to be under the cosh at New Dundas Park.

He said: "I would say it helps our cause that Berwick Rangers have signed Bonnyrigg's top scorer Blair Henderson, except for the fact they have their player/coach Stevie Hislop ready to step in as his replacement."

There is no shortage of intriguing Stagecoach League matches, particularly in the Super Premier Division where Craig McEwan has been handed a tough baptism for his first game in charge of Glenafton less than a week after his shock resignation as Arthurlie boss.

A clash with Ayrshire rivals Beith (currently sitting two places and two points better off in the standings) would be meaty enough under normal circumstances, however extra lashings of spice are added by Southy's determination to put out a message of intent on his Loch Park managerial debut.

He said: "Beith possess a lot of quality in their squad and pose a huge challenge, but we want to win this game and hopefully serve up a good performance at the same time.

"Taking over a dressing room with only 13 players, two of them goalkeepers, doesn't leave much leeway in terms of changes, but if the guys at our disposal are focused and do as asked, then we'll be fine."

League leaders Irvine Meadow's hopes of extending their points lead atop the pile away to struggling Shotts have been dealt a blow by suspension ruling out influential midfielder Michael Keenan.

And Medda supporters will need to get used to the 30-year old's absence as he is having to serve out a four-game ban after his challenge to a two- game penalty imposed for a red card tackle against Glenafton was doubled after West Region beaks deemed his appeal to be frivolous.

Shotts welcome back Gary Campbell and Anton McDowell, however Jack Marriot continues to be sidelined with a broken foot.