Kirkintilloch Rob Roy ready for double cup test

On Saturday Rabs’ senior side will take on holders Hurlford United in the third round of the West of Scotland Cup.

And on Sunday the club’s under-19s bid to reach their first ever Scottish Youth Cup final when they face Syngenta Juveniles in the semi-final at the Falkirk Stadium.

Rabs boss Stewart Maxwell is under no illusion about the size of the task against Hurlford.

As well as winning last season’s West the Ayrshire side reached the final of the Scottish Junior Cup, are in the semi-finals again this year and have led the Premiership almost all season.

But Maxwell goes into the game with a luxury he hasn’t had all season - a fully fit squad.

Rabs were due to face Hurlford in the league at Guy’s Meadow last Saturday, but the game was called off.

Instead the players had a training session - with Maxwell having more of them to with that at any stage of an injury-plagued campaign.

He said: “I had 21 bodies training on Saturday.

“I said to them I wish I’d had this squad just now at the start of the season. But it is what it is.

“To have a full squad for the first time this season is great. It means they need to produce the goods because there’s pressure for positions and everybody wants to play.

“It can’t get much tougher [than Hurlford], but we’re looking forward to having a go. It’s a cup tie, it’s got to be won on the day and the boys know what’s in front of them.

“If they can take a scalp they can take a bit of confidence from it and that would bode well going forward with the crucial league games we’ve got coming up.

“They are a decent side, very assertive and direct but if we can cope with that defensively we’ve got a wee chance at the other end.”

Then it will be the turn of the club’s youngsters who face Syngenta at the Falkirk Stadium on Sunday, kick-off 2pm.

Maxwell said: “It’s a big day for them and we’re trying to get the community out to back them and get a big support up there for them.”