Cup Corner – Non-leaguers looking to pull one out of the bag

Back when Alex McLeish was making his mark as Hibs manager, he used to entertain sportsman’s dinner guests with a faintly amusing party-piece, armed only with a small sack containing a series of balls (quiet at the back there) with numbers on them. “Cowdenbeath,” he would announce as he picked one out and placed it on the table, before producing a ball at least twice the size, with the words: “will play Rangers.”

This familiar scene will be played out again tomorrow at 5pm (though perhaps fate’s role will be increased) in that terrific annual obscurity, the Scottish Cup third round draw. For non-league dreamers Annan Athletic, Buckie Thistle, Deveronvale, Edinburgh University, Fraserburgh and Preston Athletic, it’s really quite simple. They stand 90 minutes away from the match of their lifetimes.

Deveronvale host Fraserburgh tomorrow, so we are once again guaranteed the presence of at least one non-league side. Annan Athletic get to do the whole our-patch-doesn’t-have-floodlights-so-we-kick-off-at-1.30 thing against Morton. The Cappielow boys are pushing for promotion from the Second Division after play-off heartbreak last season and will arrive in the borders knowing that league success is this year’s priority – a chance, then, for Annan to upset the odds?

Meanwhile, before a ball is plucked from the sack off the pitch (this is hopeless! – Ed), many a ball will be kicked on it at Meadowbank Stadium, home to Edinburgh Uni for the day. Can they create history with victory over the aforementioned Cowdenbeath?

Category: Scottish Premier League

Tags: Alex McLeish, Annan, Buckie, Cowdenbeath, Deveronvale, Edinburgh University, Fraserburgh, Hibs, Preston Athletic, Rangers, Scotland Premier League, Scottish Cup

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