LIVINGSTON UNITED have vowed to show no fear in their biggest game of the season so far – a Scottish Junior Cup first-round tie against Super League outfit Bonnyrigg Rose.
Livingston manager Bobby Ramsay, whose side ply their trade in the South League, two divisions below Bonnyrigg, said: "We're going to have a right go at them, we've nothing to fear."
The visit to Station Park is a trip into the unknown for Bonnyri
gg but they believe they have learned a few lessons from their narrow win over Perthshire minnows Bankfoot a couple of weeks ago.
With manager Alan Miller abroad on business, chairman Seamus McHale said: "We definitely won't be taking Livingston lightly.
"Bankfoot gave us a warning about being complacent. We took them too lightly and almost paid the penalty. We will be playing our best line-up against Livingston.
"Too many times in the past we have come a cropper against so-called little teams.
"After the Bankfoot game Alan upset some players because he didn't believe they gave 100 per cent and reacted accordingly.
"Hopefully the players have taken that on board."
McHale denied that the prospect of a "giant-killing" would mean the Livingston players were more fired up than his squad.
He said: "This game is just as important for us as it is for them. We all want a good run in the Scottish as the rewards for winning it are super.
"We have seen the likes of Bathgate and Linlithgow winning the Cup and we all want some of that action.
"We play these teams week in week out and believe that we have the players who can win the Cup again for us."
McHale revealed that Grant Killin, Andy Howitt and John Elliott are all out injured and goalkeeper Craig Coyle is unavailable. Otherwise Bonnyrigg have everyone fit.
Livingston boss Ramsay was bullish in his assessment of the prospects of a shock. He said: "This round has banana skin written all over it and, although it is good for the underdog, the side who are beaten have to wait a whole year for the chance again."
Livingston have a young, relatively inexperienced side and they face a team at the top of the Super League.
Livingston have caused upsets in the past against big sides but can then be extremely disappointing the following week.
Ramsay said: "Although I've said were going to have a real go at Bonnyrigg, it all depends on which Livingston team turns up to play.
"Because we are inexperienced, we aren't consistent and it shows by us being world beaters some weeks then duffers the next.
"I hold my hands up to sometimes being responsible but we have a lot of youngsters who play at 100 miles an hour. These players have bags of ability but they need the experience to know what to do with the ball when they have it.
"We'll have the players ready for the game, the rest is up to them. We must be about 20-1 against but we are not bothered about that – it's all about what happens on the day.
"In our last game we were very unlucky against Ballingry. We missed a penalty, which knocked our confidence and Ballingry made us pay.
"For this game, we'll give the players their heads and let them play freely."
Ramsay revealed that David Currie would definitely miss the game through injury but there are only a couple of other slight doubts.
"It's amazing how, when a big game comes around, your injuries clear up," said Ramsay.
The full article contains 604 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
