Inverurie Locos will look to bounce back from the 2-0 home league defeat by Wick Academy at the weekend when Aberdeen junior side Banks o’ Dee are tonight’s Harlaw Park opponents in the semi-finals of the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup.
Locos co-manager Kenny Coull knows his side will have to be on top form to progress to the final.
He said: “Banks o’ Dee beat Dufftown in the Grill League Cup quarter-final on Saturday, so will come to Harlaw Park full of confidence.
“I know their manager Dougie Baxter really well and their players will be streetwise, so if our players don’t perform they will be in for a shock.
“We are not playing to the best of our ability just now, this is a really big game for the club, so the players will have to go out and react properly to last weekend’s 2-0 home defeat by Wick Academy.
“Unfortunately, we have quite a few players out, including Kieran Adams, Gordon Forsyth, Scott Begg and Martin Bavidge, and Jordan Leyden is on holiday.
“What we had on Saturday for the home game against Wick Academy is what we will have available for tomorrow night’s semi-final against Banks o’ Dee.
Banks o’ Dee manager Baxter said: “We had a good win on the road again at Dufftown last weekend and kept a clean sheet.
“Locos aren’t firing on all cylinders but it is still a step up in class for ourselves. It is a game we are really looking forward to as I have always said that these competitions are an added bonus for us, we are kind of privileged to be playing against better opposition.”