It’s very much a case of as you were in tonight’s played to a finish Excel Group Sectional League Cup quarter-final showdowns.

No less than five teams having replicated their feat of last season in battling their way through to the first knockout stage.

And this perceived familiarity is best typified at Guys Meadow where a second consecutive locking of last-eight horns between Rob Roy and Clydebank is taking place.

The Bankies are undoubtedly seeking to exact revenge for their last-season 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Rabs who went on to suffer an agonising semi-final exit on penalty kicks to the eventual trophy winners Petershill.

Pollok had subsequently fallen to the Springburn outfit while Greenock and Wishaw's shared fate was to be the latter-stage scalps hanging from the belt of shock troops Vale of Clyde en route to losing in the final to the Peasy.

By way of contrast, Lesmahagow are seeking to make the most of their first appearance among the Sectional League Cup qualifiers in three years with seasoned team boss Rab Irving firmly of the belief his Gow players can thrive on their tag as Exsel Group Cup underdogs against Wishaw.

The Gow gaffer said: "Not many people are talking up our chances which is perfectly understandable when you think that we are practically a brand new team with only four of last season’s squad having remained at the club - Darren Lygate, Jordan Whitefield, Darryl Meikle and Jack Currie.

“Most of the guys are still finding their feet at Junior level yet they still managed to pass the tough test I set them of qualifying for the Exsel Cup quarter finals so I cannot praise their efforts enough.

“Admittedly we only pipped Larkhall Thistle by the slender margin of scoring one goal more than them in our Section games, but getting over the line is what matters, not how you get there.

“I’ve heard nothing but good reports about Wishaw, however games between us last season were pretty evenly matched - a league win apiece - so nobody should be writing us off, particularly as all the pressure of expectations is on them

“Morale in our dressing room is high right now and the added boost of playing at home in front of our own supporters could very well make a significant difference

” We also have players at the very top of their game like Lygate, who is thriving on the responsibility of wearing the captain’s armband while Currie has weighed in with five goals up to now and Martin McCue has been exceptional at the heart of our defence since signing from Shotts Bon Accord.”

One-time midfielder Irving added: "Our only headache going into the cup game is that a couple of the guys are working up in Fife and will be hard pushed to get back in time for the early 6.30pm kick off .“

Meanwhile, Shettleston’s rare emergence as one of the last eight standing has Greenock boss Stevie Mooney warning the Greenfield Park head-to-head will be his side’s most difficult 90 minutes to date.

And he insisted his turning down the opportunity to run the rule over the Town in their 1-0 weekend victory over Thorniewood United was the right call to make.

Mooney said: "We’re facing a team which has just dropped out of Junior football’s top flight and have signed a number of players from the Senior ranks to strengthen what they already had to offer.

“And they’ve clearly made a good fist of it considering they and Rob Roy are the only two sides boasting a 100 per cent record coming out of the sectional games so tomorrow’s contest will be something of a marker for our guys.

“Like ourselves, Shettleston had already qualified before Saturday and they would almost certainly have made a raft of changes against Thorniewood so I didn’t see any point in going along there.

“The influence of co-player/managers Peter Weatherson and Ryan McStay has attracted a lot of attention with Weatherson well known to everyone down in Greenock after his stint as a Morton striker.

"And we have a couple of players who were on the Cappielow books at the same time and who speak very highly of him.

“Coping with someone of his great experience will go a long way to getting a result, but we have to be aware that Shettleston are anything but a one-man team.

“Our own front players Jasper Donnelly, Reece Williamson, Craig Brown and Willie McLure have it in them to pose problems for any defence so hopefully we can be on the front foot more than not.”

Mooney was not for revealing his selection thoughts, however goalkeeper Ryan McWilliams, who returned from honeymoon to figure between the sticks in Sunday’s 5-1 friendly defeat by a strong Morton XI, is in line to take over the gloves from veteran Mark Monk.

Rutherglen Glencairn’s hopes of causing a cup upset against Pollok will not be enhanced by any complacency on the part of their high-flying opponents.

So says Lok boss Tony McInally. who has completed the signing formalities for ex-Irvine Meadow defender Grant Evans.

Macca declared: "Willie Harvey has a lot of decent young players in his squad with the likes of Jay Mackay and Ryan Bennett well known to myself so we will afford Glencairn every respect with our own team selection.

PLAYING TONIGHT (Kick-offs 6.30pm): Exsel Group Sectional League Cup.

Quarter Finals. Shettleston v Greenock, Lesmahagow v Wishaw, Rutherglen Glencairn v Pollok, Rob Roy v Clydebank. Ardagh Glass Cup.Quarter Finals. Hurlford Utd v Kilbirnie Ladeside, Cumnock v Girvan, Troon v Auchinleck Talbot, Beith v Ardeer Thistle.