Picture: Becky Saunderson. Image No.041759
BUCKIE Thistle boss Graeme Stewart has praised the board for giving them the best possible chance of Scottish Cup success this weekend. The club sanctioned an overnight stay for the first round tie against Edusport Academy which will be played at Annan Athletic’s Galabank home on Saturday. Jags’ boss Stewart admitted a 250-mile journey on the morning of the game would have handicapped his players. Instead, they will have an overnight stay in Hamilton followed by a short trip south on the morning of the game. “Fair play to the club for doing this as it will be costing a fortune for accommodation on the Friday night and all the meals,” said Stewart. The manager hopes his inform side can repay them with a victory against a Lowland League side with Scottish League ambitions. “They are essentially a fulltime team and pay their guys decent money. They have links to the local university and are taking things pretty seriously and want to get into league
football. “I know their manager quite well and we played them in a pre-season friendly. “I think we have a chance although it is going to be tough and they will be favourites. “We have had them watched twice and a couple of reports on them also,” added Stewart.
He admitted that Buckie will need to bring their best game to the party to have any chance of progressing in the competition. However, the Jags are bang in form and made it four successive league wins on Saturday with a 5-2 success at home to Wick Academy. “We were really happy with the performance. Wick are a good team and they played well. We only had five or six chances and scored most of them. “I was disappointed with the two goals we conceded which came from our mistakes.” Goals from Sam Robertson,
Callum Murray and Steven Ross made it 3-0 at half-time, before Jack Halliday pulled one back soon after the restart. Declan Milne and Robertson with his second ensured the win late on before Craig Gunn fired a late consolation for the visitors. Stewart had praise for Sam Morrison, Robertson, Milne and Murray – all players who have grabbed their opportunity in recent weeks with a number of senior players out injured. He hopes to welcome back Craig Dorrat and Scott Adams for the cup match on Saturday. Sam Urquhart has also resumed full training.