Kirkintilloch boss Stewart Maxwell ponders positional possibilities

The Rabs boss had intended going to Dundee at the weekend to study third-round opponents Carnoustie Panmure but their visit to Lochee Harp fell to Covid-related issues.

Kirkie's players had the weekend off, as Maxwell reckoned they'd earned it after a 4-2 friendly win last week over Albion Rovers. However, the cancelled Tayside trip meant he was denied the chance of an insight into the strengths of Carnoustie, who currently top the East Region Midland League on goal difference.

He’d also hoped to get an idea how best to shape the side after a changed Rabs' line-up defeated the cinch League Two side from Coatbridge.

Maxwell left out five regular players and fielded some 20-year-olds and others who hadn't featured for a while. He said he asked his troops to give him a selection headache – and they did.

"It was a very youthful squad I had out but they were excellent," he said. "They showed really good application, worked really hard and scored some good goals. So I have a couple of big decisions to make."

Sean McMonagle scored two, with Kian Gilday and Ciaran McPherson adding the others. The win was also a pleasant antidote to the previous Saturday's 4-1 league defeat at home to Pollok.

"The Pollok game was disappointing – 4-1 was not fair on us," said Maxwell. "We deserved to lose the game but we didn't deserve to lose it 4-1." He added: "We need to stop making silly errors. We are killing ourselves doing that because we are right in games. We gave Pollok a lot of problems with our energy and our tempo – that's what we are good at. But we need to cut out the silly mistakes. That is what's costing us."

The cup match this weekend, which has a 2.30pm kick-off at Laing Park, was a very attractive incentive for various reasons. "I think, realistically, that's a competition we could get a break in, go far and do well,” said the boss. “The supporters love the Scottish Junior Cup. Traditionally, it's a marquee competition and we have a lot of traditional supporters in our ranks, who would take great pleasure in us winning on Saturday. That would be us into the last 16 and the business end of the tournament. It gives the boys a bit of a distraction as well – the romance of the cup and its excitement."