Cup kings Shotts Bon Accord bid for Emirates Cup last 16 spot

Jan 16 2013 By Andrew Weston

Shotts Bon Accord win the Scottish Junior Cup

Shotts Bon Accord assistant boss Stewart Ralston admits the feeling of elation experienced during last year’s memorable Emirates Junior Cup run will drive the defending champions on when they host Benburb on Saturday in round four of this year’s competition.

The club has put up a creditable defence so far with wins over Haddington and Greenock and victory over Central First Division Benburb will secure a last 16 place.

Ralston said: “The experiences of players and staff as a group last season in the Scottish Cup was the best in our football lives. The players still talk about it now.

“If we can get something like that again it would be great. We have had a couple of reports on Benburb and had them watched on Saturday. It won’t be easy but hopefully we can get through."

Meanwhile Ralston was full of praise for his charges after claiming their first league win of the season on Saturday.

A Mark Sideserf double either side of the break added to Tam Hanlon’s 29th-minute penalty opener, secured a deserved win over off-colour Bankies at Holm Park.

Victory means the basement boys are now just two points behind second-bottom Cumnock with three games in hand.

“It was a long overdue win and the lads were great,” a delighted Ralston said this week. “I think we have been knocking on the door for a number of weeks but have been a bit unlucky. Now we are learning how to play in this league. We feel we need to be more direct and play less football in our own half, instead get it forward earlier and support from there.”

He added: “We tweaked things over the past couple of weeks and it seems to have worked. We’ve moved Tam Hanlon in to partner Colin Williamson in the middle of the park and it has worked well. Andy Scott has filled in on the left and Mark Sideserf has done well on the right.

“Defensively we were excellent. Clydebank are one of the top teams in this league and I would expect them to finish top four.”

With striker Kenny Wright having left the club and Adam Coakley unavailable Shotts have signed former Pollok ace Michael O’Hara whilst Craig Miles is back training.