Matthew Cooper insists Elgin City need no warning about the threat posed by Peterhead’s Connor O’Keefe in Saturday’s SPFL Trust Trophy third round tie.
Winger O’Keefe departed Borough Briggs in the summer, making the step up to League One with Jim McInally’s League One side.
O’Keefe has enjoyed a productive start to his Blue Toon career, and netted a double in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Kelty Hearts, which was their first victory of the campaign.
Having previously spent three years with City, skipper Cooper insists his side are well drilled on what to expect in coming up against O’Keefe.
Defender Cooper said: “It will be good to see him. We all know the quality he has got. He has a lot of pace and he’s really direct.
“Whether he plays up front or out wide, he’s a big threat.
“A lot of managers are saying the same this year, that they have found it really hard to get players in.
“Everyone has got a list of lads they are wanting to take in, maybe before the season has even finished.
“It’s becoming harder to get players over the line.
“We played Peterhead in the tournament at Borough Briggs and it was a team full of trialists.
“Even a few weeks into the start of the season there were a lot of changes in and out.
“They are probably only getting a settled side now, which showed with their good win last week.”
Elgin have nothing to fear against League One opponents
Saturday’s trip to Balmoor will be Elgin’s first competitive match against Peterhead since the Aberdeenshire outfit won the League Two title in 2019.
The Blue Toon remain bottom of League One on goal difference, despite their victory over Kelty last weekend.
Although Elgin have only won one of their opening seven league matches, Cooper feels Gavin Price’s side can take plenty encouragement into this weekend’s tie.
Cooper added: “We have had a lot of draws, but throughout the games there have been a lot of good spells. We have been doing the right things.
“The Peterhead game on Saturday is a bit of a local derby, and our record isn’t too great against them.
“I certainly don’t think we’ve got anything to fear going into it.
“In my time we have had a couple of good cup runs.
“It gives you a week where you take your mind off the league. Everything just kind of goes to the side and it has a different feeling.
“A lot of times in the cup we are up against teams in higher leagues that we are not expected to beat.
“The pressure is off and we need to relish that.”
Defender hoping to overcome knock
Cooper is an injury doubt, having come off with a knee injury in last Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Stenhousemuir.
The 28-year-old insists he is desperate to get the green light to play in the keenly-anticipated encounter.
He added: “I had to come off on Saturday as I had a bit of a problem with my knee.
“I’ve been resting it so far, but I will see the physio to see what we can do. Saturday is a big one which I really want to play in.”
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