Hendo's Hurlford have feelgood factor for cup clash

The holders await the visit of East Region champions Bo'ness United today - weather permitting - in what has all the makings of an epic fourth-round confrontation, but not all has gone according to plan for Hendo.

It doesn't sit well with the ambitious boss that earlier this week a combination of snow and ice forced him to call off a training session for the first time since he took over the Blair Park hotseat.

He admitted: "We didn't manage to book an indoor facility and I was loathe to risk causing injury to any of the players by asking them to slither about in the treacherous outdoor conditions.

"The squad is almost back to full strength - only Martin Brown looks set to miss out with a broken bone in his foot - and there is a feelgood factor about the place, with the guys having got themselves ready to peak against Bo'ness.

"Back-to-back call-offs have proved very frustrating as a result, and it could be about to get worse as already there are concerns over the pitch, so we have pre-booked an Astrograss facility in the event of another postponement.

"It's a worthwhile precaution as last Saturday we took on Maybole in a friendly where Ryan Miller and Neil McGregor managed to get 90 minutes under their belts and remove all doubts about their readiness for the cup game.

"This time around we might just look to keep things upbeat by putting the players through their paces, particularly the likes of Stevie Masterton, who is just coming back into the scheme of things after a long spell on the sidelines. We're as ready as we can be and I just wish our pitch was the same."

Hendo's determination to boost his playing hand has led to him holding transfer talks in midweek with his former Stirling Albion team-mate David McClune, however no business has been concluded ... yet.

He added: "David is an experienced midfielder or defender who could prove a real asset, but other clubs are also showing an interest ... would you believe Bo'ness are our biggest rivals for his signature ... and we will await his answer to our approach.

"Either way I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised to see a few arrivals in their camp before we play because I know of a couple of loan deals that will happen if Senior clubs manage to sign up transfer targets before the curtain comes down on their transfer window."

Meanwhile, the continuing ice-bound conditions causing matches to be postponed is beginning to have a financial implication for a number of leading clubs as one manager revealed.

He revealed: "Having your game called off more often than not results in teams fitting in an extra training session on the Saturday, but if you consider that our costs are just over £100 per session then we are talking about a weekly wage bill of £300 plus.

"Some will have been idle for four weeks on the trot assuming today's games fall victim to the weather, and that means clubs are forking out over £1200 without any income coming through the gates whatsoever. The costs only go up by a hundred pounds or more for the big guns who fix up friendly matches on Astro-grass surfaces."

Discovering exactly who is the hotter of the two Winters is just one of the intriguing prospects thrown up West Region beaks making the draw for the early rounds of the Euroscot Eng Central League Cup.

Central Second Division table-

toppers Rossvale, with veteran striker Robbie leading their forward line, landed a money-spinning home tie against his younger brother David's strong-going Pollok side sitting atop the Super First Division pile.

And it only whets the appetite further that the reward for the winners is a home tie against Petershill.

Rossvale gaffer Martin Lauchlan insisted: "We know it's a huge ask to take on a team of Pollok's undoubted quality, but my guys are already looking forward to this one."

Cup holders Clydebank received a potential banana skin of an opener away to Rutherglen Glencairn for the right to visit Vale of Clyde in the next round and an all-Super Premier encounter is in the offing at Dunterlie where Arthurlie host the visit of Shotts Bon Accord.

The full draw is Rossvale or Pollok v Petershill, Maryhill or Neilston v Bellshill Athletic, Ashfield v Shettleston, Dunipace v Arthurlie or Shotts Bon Accord, Lesmahagow v Port Glasgow or Blantyre Vics, Vale Of Leven v Yoker, St Anthony's v St Roch's, Carluke Rovers v Newmains Utd, Cambuslang Rangers v Wishaw, Cumbernauld Utd or East Kilbride Thistle v Forth, Benburb v Glasgow Perthshire, Rob Roy v Johnstone Burgh, Renfrew v Greenock or Kilsyth Rangers, Thorniewood Utd v Larkhall Thistle, Vale of Clyde v Rutherglen Glencairn or Clydebank, Lanark Utd v Royal Albert. (No dates arranged).

And neither was there any shortage of tasty ties emanating from the Ayrshire Cup pairings where Super Premier leading lights Auchinleck Talbot and Irvine Meadow were set on a first-round collision course, as indeed were Cumnock and last season's beaten finalists Hurlford United.

Troon's hopes of retaining the trophy were boosted by a relatively easier looking passage in having to see off Whitletts Vics at Portland Park to earn a second-round tilt against the winners of Kello Rovers v Ardeer Thistle.

The full draw is Largs Thistle or Beith v Dalry Thistle, Cumnock v Hurlford Utd or Girvan, Kilwinning Rangers v Darvel, Troon or Whitletts Vics v Kello Rovers or Ardeer Thistle, Maybole or Irvine Vics v Ardrossan Winton Rovers or Lugar Boswell, Craigmark v Kilbirnie Ladeside, Muirkirk or Annbank Utd v Glenafton, Saltcoats Vics v Auchinleck Talbot or Irvine Meadow. (No dates arranged)

TODAY'S FIXTURES

(Kick-offs 1.45pm)

Scottish Junior Cup. Fourth Round: Arthurlie v Rob Roy, Spey Valley v Penicuik Athletic, Culter v Linlithgow Rose, Pollok v Cumnock, Clydebank v Shettleston, Hurlford Utd v Bo'ness Utd, St Andrews Utd v Broughty Athletic, Camelon v Troon, Glenrothes v Yoker, Newtongrange Star v Blantyre Vics, Lesmahagow v Johnstone Burgh.

Stagecoach League Super Premier Division: Auchinleck Talbot v Shotts Bon Accord, Petershill v Irvine Meadow, Kilbirnie Ladeside v Glenafton.

Stagecoach League Super First Division: Rutherglen Glencairn v Irvine Vics, Thorniewood Utd v Greenock, Ardeer Thistle v Largs Thistle, Neilston v Cumbernauld Utd, Kilsyth Rangers v Maybole.

Stagecoach League Central First Division: Benburb v Ashfield, Larkhall Thistle v Bellshill Athletic, Vale of Clyde v Wishaw, Lanark Utd v Dunipace, Maryhill v St Anthony's, Renfrew v Carluke Rovers.

Stagecoach League Central Second Division: Vale of Leven v Cambuslang Rangers, Royal Albert v St Roch's, Forth v Newmains Utd, Port Glasgow v Rossvale.

Stagecoach League Ayrshire District: Craigmark v Kello Rovers, Dalry Thistle v Lugar Boswell, Whitletts Vics v Saltcoats Vics, Girvan v Annbank Utd, Muirkirk v Darvel.