Elgin City striker Kane Hester is on a mission to prove a point to former club Arbroath in tomorrow’s Betfred Cup tie at Gayfield.
Hester began his career with the Red Lichties, but was limited to just nine starts, spending time on loan with Albion Rovers and East Kilbride.
Since being allowed to leave the now-Championship outfit to join Elgin in January 2019, Hester has gone on to net 26 goals in 57 appearances.
The Montrose-based forward is eager to make an impression in front of his previous manager Dick Campbell.
Hester said: “I have very good memories. I enjoyed the people there, we were all friends and I enjoyed the fanbase.
“A lot of them are still there. They were tremendous players in League Two and they have just gone up the levels.
“I had a really good time there. Eventually it was time to go out and play football like I have done at Elgin where I play 90 minutes every week.
“It will nice to go back and see the people I used to see every day, and hopefully bag a few goals against them – because I know how they play.
“I feel like I’ve got a point to prove in every game I play, but it will be more so playing in front of my old manager.
“I had only ever worked under Dick before coming here, so I have learned everything from him.”
Although Ross County will win Group D with a victory against Stirling Albion, Elgin could still reach the last 16 of the competition if they triumph against Arbroath should they finish among the four best-placed runners-up from the eight sections.
Hester believes his side is more than capable of producing the result they need, and he added: “If we win I think we go through. It’s a great incentive to win the game and I genuinely think we can go there and beat them.
“You just have to look at our results last season against Dundee and Airdrie for example.
“We have gone there and taken the game to them, broke to get the goals we needed and defended well.
“I think it’s going to more a case of that on Saturday as they are very good.”
Hester will miss Elgin’s next league match against Stirling Albion next Saturday, after being sent off in last weekend’s 1-0 loss to Queen’s Park at Borough Briggs.
The striker was dismissed in the dying stages of the match, being shown a second yellow card for a lunge on Spiders player Canice Carroll.
It was Hester’s second red card of the season, however, he says his suspension will only make him hungrier to add to the four goals he has netted already this term.
He added: “It is frustrating, I get smashed about every single Saturday. I’m smaller than these guys, but I still try and put myself about as much as I can.
“The one against Stirling was unlucky as I hadn’t even seen the boy. For the one on Saturday I just tried to protect the ball. At the time I felt hard done by, but looking back it’s definitely a yellow card and could possibly be a red.
“I can’t argue that one, and I’m disappointed about it. I will miss the Stirling Albion game next Saturday.
“To be honest I would rather have taken Tuesday night and been back for the Stirling game, but I will take it as it comes. I’m disappointed to be missing it, but I will make up for it.”