Buckie Thistle are short of bodies for tomorrow’s clash with Stenhousemuir – but boss Lewis MacKinnon is aiming to make this their best Premier Sports Cup campaign to date.
This is the Jags’ third appearance in the group stage of this tournament and they travel to Ochilview to take on the League Two champions in their opening Group B fixture.
Manager MacKinnon is without Joe McCabe due to suspension, Dale Wood and Liam Harvey are working and Josh Peters is also unavailable.
Club captain Kevin Fraser and Darryl McHardy also won’t be risked as they continue their comebacks from groin and shoulder injuries.
MacKinnon said: “We’re down to the bare bones so we’ll be asking a lot of the boys who start.
“We’ve only got two senior outfield subs, one of which will be me, but we’ve called up a couple of the under-18s to be in the squad as well.
“We haven’t got our full squad in place yet. We’re still looking to add to it, and Kevin and Darryl won’t be rushed into playing in this game.
“They’ve been following their own training programmes as they come back from injury – they’ve been earmarked to play in the Ayr United game (on July 27).
“I’m not rushing them for this game because they’ve both been out a reasonable length of time.
“They’ve both been training fine and have done all the training, but the Ayr game is what they have been earmarked for.
“So that’s two players we’ll have coming back later in the group.
“It’s still pre-season for us – we’re getting good quality opposition ahead of the league starting.
“Provided we don’t pick-up any injuries, this will be a great pre-season programme for us.”
Jags want to break new ground in cup
Buckie have previously played in the League Cup in 2017 and 2022, and have only picked up one point, two years ago against Ross County.
After Stenny, the Breedon Highland League champions are at home to League One champions Falkirk and Championship winners Dundee United, before visiting Championship side Ayr.
Despite the tricky group, MacKinnon wants to improve on their previous performances in the League Cup.
He added: “My target for the League Cup is to get more points than we’ve previously had in it.
“We’ve been in it twice before and the best we’ve managed is a point, and I want to see if we can get more points than that.
“This game on paper is our best chance of doing that, but Stenhousemuir are a really good team who won League Two comfortably last season.
“Every game we play we want to win, but we also have to be realistic. We’re playing the likes of Dundee United, a Premiership side, and Falkirk who were invincible in League One last season.
“It’s going to be tough, but we’re looking for good performances. And if we get good performances, we might get good results.”
Brechin add to squad ahead of Saints clash
Brechin City boss Patrick Cregg has strengthened his squad with the signing of Scott Logan ahead of tomorrow’s season-opener against St Johnstone.
The 18-year-old midfielder has penned a one-year deal with the Hedgemen having previously played for Aberdeen University and Jeanfield Swifts.
Logan has been on trial with Brechin during pre-season, and Cregg said: “Scott is a player that can play anywhere across the three central positions on the pitch and is capable using both feet.
“He’s come in to train with us and done well over the period that he’s been in.
“The staff and I feel that he merited a deal and we’re delighted to have him. He’s young, ambitious and shown real hunger to be part of the group.”
Brechin are up against familiar foes tomorrow as their former football advisor Craig Levein and ex-manager Andy Kirk return to Glebe Park as Saints’ boss and assistant respectively.
City gaffer Cregg is looking forward to facing Premiership opposition in their opening Premier Sports Cup Group F encounter.
He added: “For the players, staff and supporters, it’s a really exciting game to start the season.
“It’s a difficult assignment, but to build up to it’s a game that’s very exciting.
“Hopefully during the 90 minutes it’s exciting as well.
“There’s no getting away from the quality of opposition we’re coming up against.
“But all we can do is focus on ourselves and try to be the best version of ourselves on the day and see what that brings.
“That may or may not be good enough to make it a hard game for St Johnstone, but we’ll learn a bit about ourselves.”
Friendly action
Thirteen Breedon Highland League sides will step up their preparations for the new season with friendlies tomorrow afternoon.
Banks o’ Dee travel south to Westview Park to tackle Midlands League outfit Kirriemuir Thistle (2pm).
Clachnacuddin tackle Junior opposition in Dufftown at Westburn Park, and Deveronvale do likewise with Longside visiting Princess Royal Park (both 2pm).
Formartine United are away to Midlands League side Lochee United (1.30pm) and Forres Mechanics take on Nairn St Ninian at Showfield Park (1pm).
Fraserburgh are at home to Hermes (2pm) and Huntly welcome an Aberdeen XI to Christie Park (3pm).
Inverurie Locos host East Craigie from Dundee at Harlaw Park (3pm) and Keith meet Sunnybank at Kynoch Park (2.30pm).
There’s a derby at Grant Park as Lossiemouth play Lossiemouth United, Nairn County take on Cumbernauld Colts of the Lowland League at Broadwood (both 3pm) and Turriff United visit Junior neighbours Rothie Rovers (2pm).
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