BLANTYRE VICS can pull off an upset in tomorrow night's Euroscot Eng Sectional League Cup clash with Arthurlie, despite having close to a full team of players sitting the game out.

That was the bold prediction of gaffer David Greig as he honed his squad's preparations for the trip through to Barrhead with a training session last night.

Yet it's hard to believe any Junior aficionados would fancy the Central First Division side's chances of shocking their Super Premier Division opponents after hearing Greig's lengthy list of selection woes for the quarter-final clash.

The experienced quartet of Willie Eadie, Davie Kirkwood, David Green and keeper Paul Burns - all posted missing last midweek when the Vics clinched qualification with an 8-2 rout of East Kilbride Thistle - are again rated definite non-starters.

Defender Lee McShane also looks odds-on to miss out. Greig, though, is prepared to wait for the outcome of pre-match fitness tests for him and former Queen's Park striker Craig Smith, a late withdrawal from the E.K. game after he tweaked a hamstring.

And rubbing salt into Greig's already considerable wounds is the unavailability of frontman Fraser Malcolm and midfield ballwinner Ryan McGarry due to work commitments.

Nevertheless, the Vics boss insisted: "Arthurlie are a top-flight side and would be tipped to win even if all of my players had been fit and ready, so nothing has really changed.

"It would be great to put out our strongest line-up in a game of this importance but we have coped really well since the start of the season with this headache of not having a full deck of cards to play with.

"I'm sure Gavin Duncan has come through similar problems with his Arthurlie side.

"Under these circumstances you can only ask other guys to step up to the plate.

"Nobody wearing Blantyre Vics colours has so far been found wanting in that respect, so for that reason I am not overly concerned about whose names will go down on our team sheet tomorrow at Dunterlie."

Greig's enthusiasm may be infectious but there can be no denying that he will need huge performances from defenders Terry Hewitt, Andy Sinclair and Bryan McLaughlin, who will be tasked with curbing the threat of Arthurlie's strikers Richie Barr and Paul Stewart.

AT the other end of the pitch Vics fans will be keeping fingers crossed that flying winger David Galt can repeat his outstanding display against East Kilbride and wreak havoc in the Barrhead backline.

The 22-year-old speed machine said: "Arthurlie are a top side and, as you might expect, are firm favourites to turn us over.

"However, that burden of expectations on their players just might work in our favour.

"When I played for Petershill, I came up against Arthurlie four times in one season but never won through at Dunterlie.

"So it would be nice to get that monkey off my back."

Super-fit Galt is also hoping that the Junior fraternity will respond with sponsorship for a good cause. He is due to take part in Newcastle's Great North Run half marathon on September 7 to raise funds for the charity Crohns & Colitis UK.

Big-hearted Galt explained: "It was Crohn's disease that hit the Manchester United and Scotland midfielder Darren Fletcher.

"Now one of our Vics players, Gordon Douches, has been diagnosed with it and has not figured in any of our games as a result.

"It's a dreadful bowel condition and I'm hoping the people involved in Junior football will see this as a worthy cause for one of their own.

"They can donate at my site: justgiving.com/David-Galt."

Meanwhile, representatives from Junior clubs up and down the country are sure to be in attendance tonight in the Pollok FC pavilion at Newlandsfield Park as SJFA chiefs make the first round draw for this season's Scottish Junior Cup.

The ties are due to be played on Saturday, September 27.