Shettleston and Cumbernauld United have refused to send for the cavalry to boost their bids to win promotion from the Super First Division.

League leaders Pollok acquiring the considerable scoring services of Robbie Winters earlier this week.

And fourth to Rob Roy bolstered their boosting their attacking options by bringing back highly regarded hitman Willie Sawyers for a second stint with the Kirkintilloch outfit.

However, both Town boss Hugh Kelly and his United counterpart John Queen turned down tempting transfer opportunities in favour of going with the hands they've been dealt up to now.

The two sides lock horns in a crunch Greenfield Park contest today.

Kelly said: "Players were offered to us before the deadline but I didn't regard the names being bandied about as a massive improvement on what we currently have at the club.

"And that statement sticks in my teeth somewhat given our fringe players didn't exactly cover themselves in glory when given the chance to shine last weekend against Ashfield in the Euroscot Eng Cup.

"Part of the fault for our defeat can be attributed to the fact we were simply not up for the game as a club from top to bottom and that feeling clearly filtered its way into the dressing room and we got our comeuppance as a consequence.

"All our so called big guns are back in the frame today and I'm looking for a positive response given the stakes on offer.

"To my mind ,the race for the step up places is only beginning today and it would be marvellous if we could get the bit between our teeth by picking up all three points against one of our main rivals."

Town midfielder Brian McEwan returned to the fray against Ashfield following almost 18 months out with an ankle problem and his 90 minutes involvement has backfired to leave him unable to train this week because of tight hamstrings.

Kelly admitted, "It might be a bit of a gamble to throw Brian in today but we are already without Kyle Robertson (holiday) and with little to choose between the teams , I want to ensure we have goals in our starting line-up.

"There's better news on the defensive side with our skipper Reon Juskowiack coming back after serving a suspension for being red carded in the Scottish Cup defeat by Auchinleck Talbot so we will be a lot tighter at the back for his presence."

United gaffer Queeny has pointed to a quiet confidence breezing through his Guys Meadow camp on the back of his side's five game unbeaten run, their latest victory a 6-0 hammering of East Kilbride Thistle last weekend - under the gaze of spying Shettleston eyes.

He said: "I don't think Shug will have learned too much from our game last week and more so given our approach for the Shettleston game will be entirely different.

"What he will have gleaned is that we have strikers in Gary Carroll and Chris Zok who know where the goal is and we also boast another marksman to be feared in young Partick Thistle loan signing Blair Malcolm who undoubtedly has a bright future in the game if he continues to develop as he has since dropping into the Juniors.

"So we as a club are not exactly lacking in firepower - remember we can also call on Gavin Mackie - which hopefully goes a long way to explaining why we didn't make any attempt to dabble on the transfer scene before the deadline.

"And I'm doubly fortunate in having no injury worries with everyone fit and raring to go in tomorrow's game however that in itself brings a major headache ...needing to pick the right team to win the game ."

Queeny , who hails from the Shettleston area and is a former player , concurs with Kelly's view of the Super First Division promotion stakes.

He added , " Yes..it's only now things are really hotting up and the midweek fixtures kicking in from Wednesday, April 15, will see the games coming thick and fast.

"It's exciting to be involved at the right end of the table and I'm sure energy levels will not prove a problem if a Super Premier place is there in our sights.

"Matters have been made a lot tighter in recent weeks with Kilsyth Rangers going on a fantastic winning run that has taken them to second place in the table and Maybole are up there with points on the board even though they have played a lot more games than the rest of us.

"Rob Roy were in the mix even before the arrival of Sawyers and I think we all have to be wary of Rutherglen Glencairn coming up on the rails.

"I'll be urging my players not to look at tables or stats as their focus must be on looking to win our next game and nothing else...right now that is Shettleston so bring it on."

Rob Roy are in buoyant mood ahead of their Guys Meadow tilt with Ardeer Thistle following a 7-1 midweek friendly defeat of an experimental Clydebank X1 in which Sawyers celebrated his return to the red and black hoops with a scoring brace to go along with strikes from Stevie Aitken(2), Ryan Tiffany, Kevin Watt and Thomas Collins .

Rabs boss Stewart Maxwell said: " Willie blended in to the team as if he'd never been away at Irvine Meadow and the attacking prospect of facing him, Watt, Collins, Aitken, Tiffany and Chris Duff has to be a frightening one for defences.

"Whether this extra firepower will get us up remains to be seen but I have to applaud our club officials and sponsors for making it possible."