Evening Times - Scottish Football Association

EVENING TIMES Wedn e s d ay N ove m b e r 2 8 2 0 1 2
SPORT
35
SCOTTISH CUP Draw throws up top-table tie Maitland plans
to make instant
Warriors impact
By BERT MITCHELL
n Evening Times Juniors
expert Jim O’Donnell,
SJFA assistant secretary
Joe Black, Emirates
Scotland sales manager
Denise Holmes, SJFA
secretary Tom Johnston
and ET assistant sports
editor Cameron Melville.
Picture: Martin Shields
Plum pick has Smith in
pickle over Talbot test
Petershill co-boss is
less than impressed
with tough pairing
EXCLUSIVE
By JIM O’DONNELL
J
unior football received
some early festive cheer
l a s t n i g h t wh e n t h e
Evening Times staged
the Emirates Scottish Cup
fourth round draw – and
pulled the plum tie of this
season’s competition out of
the hat.
Super Premier League leaders
Auchinleck Talbot will meet
second-in-the-table Petershill at
Beechwood Park in a clash that
evokes memories of their 1988
final victory in what was the
third of eight trophy successes
in the past 26 years.
An away tie against their West
Region rivals is hardly going to
be to the Springburn side’s liking,
a sentiment echoed by co-boss
Scott Smith.
He said: “It goes without saying that it’s a tie we’d rather have
avoided, but I don’t imagine
Talbot boss Tommy Sloan will be
doing cartwheels either.
“If we are to win the cup then
it’s going to have to be done
the hard way given we landed
Bonnyrigg Rose away in the last
round.”
Arthurlie landed a cracker of
their own in being pitted at home
to fancied East Region big guns
Linlithgow Rose, while the city’s
other top-flight hopeful Pollok
will meet Beith in yet another
all-Super Premier contest.
Scottish Cup holders Shotts
Bon Accord landed lucky with
Tony McInally’s men awaiting
the visit of one of his former
clubs Benburb to Hannah Park.
Macca said: “I have g reat
memories of my time at the Bens
and it will be good to see some of
the old-stagers again, as well as
their manager Frank Lovering as
we go back a long way.
“He was always a fierce competitor as a player and no doubt
his team will epitomise that
same never-say-die spirit. My
players will need to be up for this
game or we’ll come a cropper.”
Shettleston face a tough tie
away to Irvine Meadow while
Yoker fans will not be too dismayed to have a home match-up
against the winners of the third
round replay between Thorniewood United and Camelon.
Rob Roy will undoubtedly be
delighted with their pairing at
home to Rosyth Recreation, but
a long trek awaits centenary
THEFULLDRAW
Emirates Scottish Cup. Fourth
round draw:
Blackburn v Glencairn, Yoker v
Camelon or Thorniewood,
Lochee Utd v Ardeer Thistle,
Pollok v Beith, Irvine Meadow v
Shettleston, Shotts Bon Accord v
Benburb, Musselburgh v
Pumpherston, Kelty or Penicuik v
Cumbernauld or Forfar West End,
Johnstone Burgh v Dundonald,
Auchinleck v Petershill, Arthurlie
v Linlithgow, Montrose Roselea v
Jeanfield, Kinnoull v Kilsyth,
Dundee Violet v Bo’ness Utd,
Culter v Cumnock, Rob Roy v
Rosyth.
Ties to be played on Saturday,
January 19, at 1.45pm.
celebrating Cumnock in heading
north to face Culter.
Meanwhile, Emirates third
round fallers Bellshill Athletic,
who sacked gaffer Colin Mitchell
in the aftermath of their 4-0
defeat at Musselburgh Athletic,
have moved to fill the vacancy
with the appointment of former
Pollok strikers Robert Downs
and Davie Turnbull.
T
erracing tongues were
understandably wagging
at the sight of the pairing
watching on as the homeless
Lanarkshire men lost 1-0 against
Carluke Rovers last Saturday,
and they took up their new posts
following further talks with club
officials on Monday night.
Downs: said: “Davie and I have
wanted to move into management
for some time and we’re delighted that Bellshill have afforded us
this opportunity.
“We’re well aware things are
going to be tough with the team
sitting at the wrong end of the
table, but the display against
Carluke was very encouraging.”
The duo are awaiting their
first game in charge when fellow
strugglers Port Glasgow come to
Bellshill’s temporary Fullarton
Park home this week.
Turnbull added: “They have a
prolific goalscoring striker in
Scott Nugent.
“What is clear is they similarly
need the points to get moving in
an upward direction so it could
prove to be a nervy occasion.”
KIWI flying machine
Sean Maitland is aiming
for instant take-off with
Glasgow after touching
down at Scotstoun to
begin his two-and-a-half
year deal with Warriors.
The 24-year-old hopes
to persuade Glasgow head
coach Gregor Townsend
to hand him a place on the
bench for Saturday
night’s PRO12 crunch
with Munster at
Thomond Park.
Despite the winger
having been out of
action for 12 weeks with
a finger tendon injury,
Maitland has already
completed his first
training sessions with
Townsend’s troops and
can’t wait to pull on the
black and blue jersey.
The 24-year-old said: “I
am fresh and raring to
go. I have met the boys
and completed a training
session with them and I
am just desperate to get
back on the pitch and get
some competitive game
time under my belt.
“Fitness-wise, I am in
very good shape and for
me the quicker I am back
in amongst it the better.
Fingers crossed that
could happen with a slot
on the bench at Munster
on Saturday night.
“I know I need a big
week in training but that
is what I plan to deliver
and see where that takes
me. But if I am not
involved this weekend
then hopefully it will be
the week after.”
Maitland arrives at
Scotstoun with the
reputation of not only
being among the best
finishers from the land
of the long white cloud,
but also among the
fastest.
He said: “I have always
had a fair turn of speed
and when I was at high
school I managed 100
metres in 10.8 seconds.
“So speed is a big part
of my game, as is
versatility, and I can play
anywhere across the
back three.
“But I have a proven
record as a finisher and I
am here at Glasgow to
score tries.
“I have been really
impressed with
Scotstoun since I arrived
at the beginning of the
week and there are not
many teams who have
their stadium and their
training facilities all in
the one venue.
“Really, I just can’t
wait to get going.”
Maitland is Scottishqualified through his
grandparents and
although keen to train
his focus solely on
making an impact for
Warriors, the new kilted
Kiwi – who was sourced
by former Warriors head
coach Sean Lineen in his
role as SRU director of
player acquisition –
admitted he has
Scotland aspirations.
n Maitland is a
speed merchant
He said: “I am
Scottish-qualified and
when I realised my
international ambitions
would not be recognised
through New Zealand I
had no doubts about
coming to Scotland.
“No small part of that
was the meeting I had
with Sean Lineen back
home and maybe one day
I can emulate what he
achieved with Scotland.”
Glasgow coach
Townsend has no doubt
Maitland will make an
impact for Warriors.
Toony said: “We know
the quality Sean brings
with him from his record
in Super Rugby. But he
knows he will have to
earn his place in our
back line and I am sure
he will do just that.
“We have so many big
games coming up
through December that
his arrival is a case of
perfect timing.”
CLAN CALL ON BACK-UP
Braehead Clan have sought to address their poor
run of form by signing Canadian forward Jesse Schultz
and bringing in trialist Martin Tuma.
Jordan Krestanovich’s men have won just two of
their last nine matches, resulting in Bobby Chaumont
and Ryan Campbell being axed earlier this month.
However, the Renfrewshire club have brought in
right winger Schultz, who has played in the NHL for
the Vancouver Canucks, in a bid to find their form.
Czech defenceman Tuma joins the sixth-placed
side from EIHL rivals the Nottingham Panthers and will
debut for Clan on Thursday in Hull.