CUMBERNAULD United stopper Danny Boyle is steeling himself to play through the pain barrier to prevent his club's season coming to an abrupt end.

United host Petershill tonight in a Euroscot Eng Central League Cup third-round clash, and Boyle's determination to do a sponsor's cup double - United took the Euroscot Eng Sectional Cup honours back in November - will see him line up at the heart of his side's defence despite doctors advising him to rest for up to six weeks with a broken toe sustained in a recent league match against Largs Thistle.

The towering stopper said: "This is effectively our last game if we fail to win, and I really don't want our season to finish on a sour note, so I'll happily bite the bullet if it helps us over this Petershill hurdle.

"We ran out 3-0 winners in a New Coin Cup affair at the start of this month, but if truth be told, they came up against us when we were at the top of our game which is not how things are ahead of tonight's contest.

"A run of four defeats has been our lot ever since, and it doesn't help our chances of getting back on the rails to have suspension ruling out Scott McHaffie on top of major injury concerns hanging over James Brown and Jim Steele.

"Bodies were so thin on the ground that the gaffer (John Queen) was on the bench against Shettleston last weekend and we don't want a similar situation tonight, so I've declared myself willing to give it a go.

"I'm not being foolhardy because I gave it a rigorous test when going out for a jog last night before kicking a ball around and there has been no reaction whatsoever, so I'm feeling confident of proving my fitness."

The 25-year-old reckons whoever comes out on top at Guy's Meadow tonight could go all the way to the final.

He added: "We lost out to Clydebank in last season's finale, while Petershill are the only Super Premier side still in the competition, so it's only to be expected that the winners of our game will be rated favourites.

"Hopefully it's Cumbernauld who will be landed with the job of living up to that tag come the final whistle tonight."

Meanwhile, Pollok appear to be optimistic over their hopes of capturing Kilbirnie and Junior Scotland full-back Chris "Bugsy" Malone, despite the Blasties retaining their Super Premier existence last weekend.

And movements are afoot at another of the top-flight elite, with Beith reported to be looking to bring back former player Mark Staunton from Irvine Meadow, and revealing a willingness to listen to offers for striker Sean McKenna after he asked to be placed on the open-to-transfer list.

Mighty boss Johnny Millar is also linked with an approach for Kilbirnie frontman Chris Craig, but faces stern competition from both Pollok and Petershill.

And congratulations are in order for Junior whistler Steven Kirkwood following his appointment to the Dyslexia Scotland Junior Cup final between Auchinleck Talbot and Musselburgh Athletic at Rugby Park on Sunday, June 7, where his assistants will be David McKniff and Jordan Stokoe, with David Lowe as fourth official.