Buckie Thistle manager Graeme Stewart has challenged his team to go to the next level by winning silverware.
The Jags host Formartine United at Victoria Park in the quarter-final of the Morrison Motors (Turriff) Aberdeenshire Shield.
Buckie haven’t won a trophy since the Breedon Highland League title in 2017.
Stewart has rebuilt his squad since then and believes they are good enough to have success.
He said: “Formartine will be a be a wounded animal (after their 5-0 loss to Brechin on Saturday) and will want to prove a point.
“But for us to go to the next level we have to win trophies.
“This is a quarter-final so we’re two games away from a final. Fraserburgh, Brora and Rothes are the teams that have won trophies in the last two or three years.
“We need to change that and to be considered one of the top teams we need to go and win something.
“We all want to be successful, but it’s about getting over the line and getting the monkey off your back.
“Once you win one you want more and it gets easier to win more.
“I’m sure it will come sooner rather than later and I’m confident it can happen this season.”
United aim to bounce back
Formartine captain Stuart Anderson hopes they can show a positive reaction to their 5-0 reverse to Brechin at the weekend.
The midfielder added: “It wasn’t a good day for us on Saturday, we shouldn’t be beaten by that scoreline.
“We have to be realistic about some of the results we’ve had this season.
“We had seven teenagers in our squad at the weekend, the club has gone down the youth route.
“The young lads are all good players, but they’re still learning as well, hopefully they’ll learn from that and we’ll get a reaction at Buckie.
“Every game is a big game and you want to compete in every competition.
“We always look to compete in every competition we play in.
“It’s a chance to progress to the semi-final and we’ll try to do that.”
-
Deveronvale and Huntly aim for semi-final slot
Elsewhere, both Deveronvale and Huntly are determined to try to secure a home semi-final against Inverurie Locos.
The Shield is the last chance for both the Banffers and the Black and Golds to win something this term.
Huntly manager Allan Hale said: “The incentive is there in terms of what is at stake, but it’s the same for Deveronvale.
“We know it will be a difficult game but it’s about ourselves and trying to give the best level of performance we can to make sure we get through.”
Deveronvale attacker Grant Noble added: “I think over the last few seasons we’ve maybe let ourselves down in some of the cups.
“This season we managed to get to the semi-final of the Aberdeenshire Cup and semi-finals and finals is where the Vale should be.
“That’s where we’re striving to get to, but we need to progress past Huntly first which will be tough.”
-
Dee eye double but Keith stand in way
In the other quarter-final Keith meet Banks o’ Dee at Kynoch Park.
Maroons manager Craig Ewen said: “It’s a quarter-final so you’re potentially only two really good performances away from a final.
“On our day if everyone plays well I think we’ve got a good chance of winning any game.
“But we’ve lacked a bit of consistency and it’s trying to get that back.”
Meanwhile, Junior side Dee are hoping to do the double this season after lifting the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup last month.
Co-manager Jamie Watt said: “Just winning the cup was incredible but we want to keep going and try to get two in the bag which would be unbelievable.
“But there’s a long way to go and a lot of good teams left in the competition so we’re under no illusions.”