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Specky Ginger · Joined: 16 Jun 2012 Posts: 4034 Location: Dysart

The quest to become the first club to get our name on the diddy cup three times in a row begins at the Balmoral Stadium on Saturday.

Apparently it's had a bit of a makeover since we were there in July with covered seating behind both goals.

Both teams will be heading into it on a high after yesterday so it'll be interesting to see which team takes it more seriously in terms of playing their strongest eleven.

Discuss.......
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Wolfman Jack · Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2022 8:28 pm Post subject:

We've beat them at their 'home' in a cup before (the only time we've beaten them) so can do it again.
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Hope he's got plenty Rovers action to comment on tonight....

Vinnie · Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2022 10:34 pm Post subject:

This game/cup is a hindrance

Team should be filled with any fringe players and Big John

Shouldn,t be ditching league fixtures on a Saturday for this cup competition
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Wolfman Jack · Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2022 11:40 pm Post subject:

StarksBarmy · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 3751

I agree, this competition has little value to us until Semi Final/Final.

The fact we only had 6 outfield subs available on Saturday highlights our lack of squad depth currently and makes this tie a hindrance.

Would like us to start with the likes of Coulson, Masson, Mitchell, some good experience for them, would be good to see the Aberdeen boy given at start in his favoured position of LB too.

If we win, great. If we lose? No big deal so longs we don’t add to our injury list.

bistogravy · Joined: 27 Jan 2022 Posts: 65 Location: Glenrothes

i agree, this game has to be treated in isolation from the league campaign.

The young fringe players should be given starts with any of the main squad carrying knocks etc. rested.

maybe we'll have a shiny new striker signed in time to make his debut?

Not at all bothered if we don't progress to the next round.
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scotty · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 8842 Location: Almost Dysart.

Awkward one this, on the one hand you want to win every game you play in but on the other it's an out and out nonsensical absolute diddy competition.

There is no financial value to the early rounds which often actually cost the club money and if you progress then you run the risk of injury to a thin squad in the later months.

Tricky as the longer you're in it the more you want to win it, but if you're not winning it then an early exit is as good as anything.

Irrelevent to me as I'll be at Hampden for the Scotland v Ireland game, I wish the cup game had got rescheduled to a 12pm KO or better still a different day altogether.
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Franco · Joined: 10 Oct 2019 Posts: 986 Location: kirkcaldy

Not sure what team line-up to expect for the Cove game.
With J McG , even when fans were hoping that players would be rotated ,reducing the chance of injury to key players for League games , he would field his ''strongest'' side. We have yet to see if IM has the same mind-set.
It would be good to see Brad Spencer get more game-time and give McBride a chance of more minutes ,along with Kieran Ngwenya.
Jamie Gullan will probably be given more time to recover and so see Kyle Connell continue as main striker.
The other reason for making changes is that we don't want to give Cove a dress rehearsal for their upcoming visit to SP.
I'll be listening in to Saturday's game on my way to Hampden.

Specky Ginger · Joined: 16 Jun 2012 Posts: 4034 Location: Dysart

Will Connell and Ngwenya be available or will they play for their parent clubs' colt teams in this competition?
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Dougie Hill
Sar-chluicheadair a'gheama

Neil M · Joined: 16 Aug 2008 Posts: 2376 Location: Aberdeen

They have gubbed us three times in a row at Balmoral. I do not want it to become four, because I live here. I am hoping IM will use it to mix things up a bit, try new things and ease in returning players, but please not a second-string squad. I would like for us to win to restore a bit of pride up here for people who pay for tickets. And besides, a gubbing might destroy the confidence of some of the younger players. I take on board what Franco said about Cove's perception of our side, prior to our league-game, but on the other hand, I sometimes wonder if Inverness and Cove KNOW they can beat us - and is they why they do? By contrast, our current players have no experience or belief in soundly beating either of those sides -- yet!

Wolfman Jack · Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2022 6:07 pm Post subject:

TxRover · Joined: 02 Jun 2018 Posts: 2848 Location: North Texas, USA

Interesting line-up: https://twitter.com/RaithRovers/status/1573658521354248192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Eembeddedtimeline%7Ctwterm%5Escreen-name%3ARaithRovers%7Ctwcon%5Es1

Looks something like:

Thomson

Millen/O’Riordan/Dick/Ngwenya

Ross/Brown/Spencer/Coulson

McBride/Connell

Sides of Ross/Coulson and McBride/Connell uncertain, but Coulson has always played left…Brown might be a single deep DM in a 4-1-3-2

embow · Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2022 2:05 pm Post subject:

Good to see Ross Mathews back in the match day squad. Hope he's able to get a wee turn sometime throughout the game.
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TxRover · Joined: 02 Jun 2018 Posts: 2848 Location: North Texas, USA

0-1, McBride…getting some pressure in.

TxRover · Joined: 02 Jun 2018 Posts: 2848 Location: North Texas, USA