PENICUIK ATHLETIC boss Willie McGinley believes his side's Dechmont Forklift Cup clash against Edinburgh United this weekend is near impossible to predict given both teams' Jekyll and Hyde displays this season.
On paper Penicuik are favourites to progress to the third round as they ply their trade in a division above their opponents yet United have shown already this season that they are capable of raising their game having dumped Newtongrange Star out of t
wo cup competitions, including the last round of this tournament.
In the previous round the Capital's only junior football team travelled to Star's New Victoria Park and deservedly ran out 2-0 victors to set up tomorrow's meeting with Penicuik.
However, like Penicuik, Edinburgh have been unable to match those high standards every week and recently found themselves on the end of a 4-0 home defeat by Fauldhouse while Penicuik's up-and-down form sees them currently sitting towards the lower end of the Premier League table.
And McGinley conceded today he simply doesn't know what to expect when the teams go head to head tomorrow afternoon.
"Alan Miller (Edinburgh manager] has them going really well and they are a decent side. We played them in a friendly recently and they actually came out on top so we know we are in for a tough game.
"They have beaten Newtongrange in two cup ties this season so they must be a decent side. They seem to be a team who, like us, can play terrifically well one minute and then be pretty poor the next.
"Like us, you sometimes don't know what team will turn up. We've had a problem not only from game to game but also from half to half. We can be great in the first half of a match and then let it all go in the second.
"That will make it a difficult one to predict but we'll just go out and give it our best shot."
While ensuring his side maintain their place in junior football's second tier remains McGinley's top priority this term, he insisted they are out to win the Dechmont Forklift Cup.
"At this stage of the season your just happy to have cup competitions that you are still in and this one is no different. Your obvious hope is that you can get to the final and then see what happens and that is what we'll be trying to do.
"We would like to go as far as we can in this competition." Penicuik are without Gary Small who is suspended while Chris Gordon is on holiday and McGinley will again look to top scorer Martin Cameron for goals.
Meanwhile, United boss Alan Miller, pictured, admitted his team's chances of causing an upset will be hampered by the absence of a number of key personnel.
Lee Zavaroni, Keith Pullen, Alan Reid, Euan McIntosh and Ross Elliot are all set to miss the tie but Miller said: "
We beat Penicuik 6-3 in a friendly recently but we certainly aren't in the same healthy state that we were that day.
"We had 19 fit players to choose from and the fact that we maybe showed our hand a wee bit that day could also count against us.
"But we always enjoy going to Penicuik and playing against them are they are always tight games.
"We have beaten Newtongrange twice and that obviously gives us encouragement.
"We have been inconsistent but I think that's down to the mental attitude of the players and the way that they approach games. I'm not saying we will win on Saturday but I'm sure the players' preparation will be right this week.
"We've just got to go there and play the way we play, keep to our strengths and hopefully get a result out of it."
• PUMPHERSTON are inviting applications for the manger's position at the club after Stevie Pittman resigned due to work commitments. Please contact secretary Billy Rogers on 07786 021 303.
• BATHGATE THISTLE entertain Broxburn in the Fife & Lothians Cup tonight at Creamery Park with a 6.30pm kick-off. Elsewhere, in the South League Pumpherston and Blackburn are in action.
