In-form Hotspur 'buzzing' ahead of cup clash with Shetland league leaders
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Confidence is high among the High Ormlie Hotspur players as they continue their latest Highland Amateur Cup adventure with a third-round tie against highly rated Shetland opposition on Saturday.
The holders will take on Lerwick Spurs in neutral Orkney, on the same ground where High Ormlie ran out 3-1 winners over Kirkwall Hotspurs in the previous round.
Lerwick Spurs reached the final in 2018, losing to Pentland United after extra time. High Ormlie went one better last year when they beat the Stabbies on penalties to lift the famous trophy just 10 years after the club came into existence.
High Ormlie co-manager Liam Sutherland said: "We know it's going to be an extremely tough game. They're top of the Shetland league, they're unbeaten, they seem to score goals for fun up there and from what we gather they've got a good bundle of real quality players, especially further forward. They will hurt us if we're not up to it.
"Aside from the Pentland United game [in this season's preliminary round] this is definitely going to be our toughest game so far. They were finalists a few years ago as well.
"But we won it for a reason last year, so nothing changes for us. It's the same as we've said in every round – keep the same belief and make sure we focus right from start, which we're usually pretty good at.
"We won it last year, we've made it this far again this year. We've got to carry on the same way as we have been."
Hotspur are on a good run of form, having won five games in a row in all competitions. Their latest outing was on Tuesday night when second-half goals by Ryan Sutherland Snr and Aaron McNicol gave them a 2-0 success against Castletown at Back Park in the quarter-finals of the Eain Mackintosh Cup.
"Castletown made it hard for us," Sutherland said. "They are well organised and hard to break down."
He added: "Everyone is feeling good, and they came through Tuesday night unscathed.
"We've played some really good stuff since we got beaten by Pentland United [in a league match at the end of May] so confidence is high just now and everyone is buzzing for Saturday."
Staxigoe United, who were given a walkover in the last round after Inverness Athletic pulled out, will also be crossing the Pentland Firth on Saturday as they take on Stromness Athletic.
Staxigoe will want to shake off the disappointment of losing on penalties to Wick Groats in their midweek Eain Mackintosh Cup clash.
"We've been over and played them a few years ago but by all accounts it's a different team now," Staxigoe manager Colin Sinclair said. "They're a strong, physical team.
"It's going to be a tough game – it always is when you go to Orkney – but I'm hoping we're going to have a full squad. If we can play like we have in the last two weeks I don't see any reason why we can't get a result."
Wick Groats' Steven Anderson is still struggling with a rib injury and is a "massive doubt" for their home tie against Fortrose and Rosemarkie Union of the Inverness and district AFA. However, Ben Sinclair should be back.
Wick Groats manager Kevin Anderson said: "I think they're quite a decent outfit. We'll need to be at it because of late, in the last few weeks, our levels have been very up and down. We need to make sure we turn up on the day."
Results – Archer Shield: Orkney 2, Caithness 1.
SWF Highlands and Islands League: Clachnacuddin Women 1, Caithness Ladies 8.
Caithness AFA Division Two: Keiss 3, Top Joe's 1; Thurso Pentland 0, Lybster 9; Watten 0, Swifts 2.
Eain Mackintosh Cup, quarter-finals: Acks 2, Keiss 1; Castletown 0, High Ormlie Hotspur 2; Wick Groats 4, Staxigoe United 4 (after extra time – Groats won 6-5 on penalties). Wick Thistle 0, Pentland United 1.
Fixtures – Saturday, June 24 – Highland Amateur Cup, third round: Back v Avoch; Carloway v Golspie Stafford (in Ullapool); Clachnacuddin Reserves v Inver; Harris v Lerwick Celtic (in Maryburgh); Lerwick Spurs v High Ormlie Hotspur (in Kirkwall, 12.30pm); Mallaig v Loch Ness; Stromness Athletic v Staxigoe United (noon); Wick Groats v Fortrose and Rosemarkie Union (2pm).
Sunday, June 25 – SWF Highlands and Islands League Cup, semi-final: Caithness v Sutherland (Castletown, 2pm).
Monday, June 26 – Caithness AFA Division Two: Swifts v Top Joe's (7.30pm).
Tuesday, June 27 – Division One: Acks v High Ormlie Hotspur; Pentland United v John O'Groats; Staxigoe United v Castletown (all 7.30pm).
Wednesday, June 28 – Division One: Wick Thistle v Wick Groats. Division Two: Keiss v Lybster; Watten v Thurso Pentland (all 7.30pm).
