Mitch Megginson insists winning at Stirling Albion is the priority for Cove Rangers after earning a Scottish Cup trip to Kilmarnock.
The skipper delivered a double away to Brora Rangers in the cup on Tuesday night to push Cove towards their 3-1 extra-time victory.
In a game twice postponed, the Breedon Highland League side shot into the lead through Tony Dingwall, but Megginson swiftly restored parity.
It needed the extra half an hour to settle an entertaining fourth round tie at blustery Dudgeon Park, but goals from Megginson and Connor Scully push Cove over the line.
Ex-Aberdeen and Inverness midfielder Paul Sheerin, who is number two to Derek McInnes at fourth-placed Premiership side Kilmarnock, was in the stand to see Brora join them for the fifth-round tie at Rugby Park a week on Saturday.
Megginson boosted by his cup brace
After five winless games in the league, Megginson, who has bagged eight goals this season, is eyeing three points for third-placed Cove at seventh-placed Stirling Albion on Saturday.
He said: “It was probably about time (I’d scored). It was nice to find the back of the net, and nice to get a double. I might have to start wearing metal (studs) on the astro if I can get away with it.
“Our focus is to try and win every game we play in. We’ve another long journey ahead of us in the league, but we’ve recovered well after Tuesday and we’ve prepared for Stirling.”
Kilmarnock will be watched twice
Manager Paul Hartley is having Killie watched at Motherwell this Saturday and against Livingston at Rugby Park next Wednesday.
Megginson is delighted that Cove will get the chance to test themselves against what is one of the best teams in the country at present.
He said: “It’s a tough tie, outwith Celtic, Rangers and Hearts, they are the in-form team in the Premiership. Derek McInnes has them playing well.
“We will be up against it, but we’d rather be going there than not, so we have given ourselves this opportunity, and our fans can get the trip to Kilmarnock.
“We have Saturday to play first and then we will look at the cup-tie.”
Megginson still unbeaten at Brora
It was a step back in time for 31-year-old Megginson to get on the scoresheet against Highland League opponents, having done so for years.
He’s continued that form into the SPFL, including in the Championship last year, which is where Cove are looking to return to in May.
He explained maintaining his unbeaten streak against the Cattachs was an extra motivation for him in Sutherland.
He said: “I have a record at Brora. I’d never been beaten by them up there, so I didn’t want to lose. That was in my mind.
“But Brora are a good side and it is always a battle against them, so it was nice to win it and get through to the next round. That was the main objective.”
Game-plan worked a treat for Cove
Due to postponed fixtures, Brora had only played twice in January and Megginson always believed, no matter how long it took, Cove would have enough energy and quality to win the contest.
He added: “We knew Brora hadn’t played much recently, so fitness came into it at the end.
“The pitch held up alright, but it was going to take it out of their legs, so we knew that was in our favour.
“Ideally, we would have preferred not to have played extra-time, but it was all about getting through to the next round.
“Fair play to Brora, they got the ball down and tried to play. We came with a slightly different plan and it showed. We wanted to play in their half, and we did that and we got the rewards.”