| Bain back for Cove / McAllister has to wait for Keith debut |
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A return to winning ways is the order of the day for defending Highland League champions Cove Rangers when they host Keith. The Toonsers have taken just two points from a possible nine in their last three games. They go up against the last club to win a league championship before Cove's own title successes over the last two seasons when the Maroons visit Rainbow Taxis Park knowing that if results go their way, they can return to top spot with a win. Co-manager Jerry O'Driscoll said: "I am sure it will be a tough test against Keith this week. They are a dangerous side full of talented individuals who are not afraid to put the graft in. We were speaking to Charlie Duncan after the Broch game last week and we were saying how every week you seem to have another difficult game. I am sure the players will be looking forward to the trip to Cove so we will have to match them all over the park and then produce some quality in the final third to unlock them." It will be the first time O'Driscoll will lock horns in the dugout with his former team mate and close friend Darren Still following the latter's appointment as Keith manager just before New Year. The Cove co-boss stated: "I am looking forward to crossing swords with Neil Lennon in the dugout and I am sure there will be some banter in the lead up but it will be business as usual come 3pm. I am sure that he will be a success at Keith as he will instil a will to win in the players there. He has got a good board and backroom staff around him and also some very good players. In saying that, if you had said two years ago that we would be up against each other in the dugout then not a lot of folk would have believed you." The hosts will welcome Clark Bain back into their squad after he missed the draw at Fraserburgh because of a rib injury and Murray McCulloch is also fit and available after suffering from an ankle knock. Keith were defeated 3-0 at home by Formartine United on their last outing and manager Darren Still has demanded an instant improvement from his charges as they look for a second successive away win having defeated Forres Mechanics on their last trip away from Kynoch Park. Still said: "Going to Allan Park is one of the hardest if not the hardest fixture you can get in the season. Their long unbeaten home record is proof of this because they have not lost a league game at home for the last couple of years. In my opinion, they are the best side at this level - they are full of good players and they are a strong outfit. "It has been three weeks since we produced a pretty poor show individually and as a team against Formartine. I would expect everybody in our dressing room to be ready to attempt to lay that performance to rest come 3 o'clock on Saturday." Still played alongside O'Driscoll at Kynoch Park when the Maroons last won the league championship in 2007 but insists all friendships will be put to one side for 90 minutes on Saturday. He said: "We will just have to get on with things. It's all about the players on the park although I am sure there will be a little bit of banter going about. We are both serious enough with our own teams to realise that you have to focus professionally on your own job and that any banter or stick will be on the go afterwards. "We are both going for a meal and then out on Saturday night so I am sure any banter that needs to be dished out will be done then. We are both professional enough in our own attitudes to be getting on with things without allowing anything else to get in the way." The Maroons will be without Derek Nicol through suspension while Gary Nicol is still on the injury list and Richard Craig has family commitments. Recent signing Gary McNamee comes into contention for his debut but the club's other recent signing Darren McAllister has a two-game ban to serve before he can pull on the Maroon for the first time. |
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