UNCOVERED — Cove Rangers v Queen of the South 01.03.22

Cove Rangers v Queen of the South SPFL Trust Trophy

01.03.22 — 7:30pm KO

Cove Rangers v Albion Rovers

SPFL Trust Trophy

09.10.21 — 3pm KO

BALMOR AL GROUP Proud sponsors of BALMORAL STADIUM

Balmoral Comtec Balmoral Tanks Balmoral Business Park ACE Winches BLAZE Manufacturing Solutions Friends of ANCHOR www.balmoral-group.com

02 03

— Contents Cove Rangers FC Matchday Programme Queen of the South: 01.03.22 — 7:30pm KO

Features

ALLOA ATHLETIC MATCH REPORT ALLOA ATHLETIC REACTION VIGURS CUP PREVIEW

Regulars Upcoming fixtures

04

Club information

06

Club partners

31

View from the dugout

32

Player and Management sponsorship

36

Season 2021/22 statistics

38

Captain’s view

42

Club honours

46

Today’s team lines

47

08 20 24

— Upcoming fixtures

H Sat 5th Mar, 2022

Cove Rangers v Peterhead

cinch League One

H Sat 12th Mar, 2022

Cove Rangers v Clyde

cinch League One

A Sat 19th Mar, 2022

Montrose v Cove Rangers

cinch League One

A Sat 26th Mar, 2022

Airdrieonians v Cove Rangers

cinch League One

— League table cinch League One

P

W

D

L

GF

GA

GD

PTS

Cove Rangers

27

16

8

3

51

24

27

56

Airdrieonians

27

15

6

6

46

30

16

51

Montrose

27

12

11

4

42

25

17

47

Queen’s Park

26

7

15

4

39

26

13

36

Falkirk

27

10

6

11

40

40

0

36

Clyde

27

7

11

9

32

44

-12

32

Alloa Athletic

27

7

8

12

35

46

-11

29

Peterhead

26

7

7

12

34

39

-5

28

Dumbarton

27

7

5

15

40

56

-16

26

East Fife

27

4

7

16

26

55

-29

19

50/50 WINNER! The 50/50 winner at the Falkirk match was 103403, won by Alex Curtis.

04 05

Together we can make a difference Talking saves lives No matter your club colours, everyone can support Scotland’s second team - FC United to Prevent Suicide.

At the SPFL Trust we believe in the power Become a fan of football to change people’s lives @_FCUnited And when we say football, we Many are desperate to help unitedtopreventsuicide.org.uk mean communities across Scotland their community and club to be who love the game, their club, successful. You can be part of that. the routine it represents.

What will you do?

spfltrust.org.uk/trophy spfltrust.org.uk/trophy

– Club information

Cove Rangers FC Balmoral Stadium Wellington Circle, Altens Aberdeen, AB12 3JG

T 01224 392111 F 01224 392859 coverangersfc.com Twitter / Facebook / Instagram @coverangersfc

Honorary President Alan McRae Directors Keith Moorhouse - Chairman Graeme Reid - Vice Chairman/Financial Controller Duncan Little - Secretary/Stadium Manager John Sheran - Director of Football Darren Anderson Grant Moorhouse Safety Officers John Morgan & Bill Ogilvie Committee Michael Coull, Richard Forbes & Gordon Taylor Football Manager - Paul Hartley

Assistant Manager - Gordon Young Fitness Coach - Tam Ritchie

06 07

Goalkeeping Coach - Derek Soutar

Head of Youth Development - Gary Hake Performance Analyst - Ryan Docherty

Physios - Donal Gallacher & Eilidh McGregor Kit Manager - Adrian Thomson Club Doctor - David Fowler

Commercial Manager - Angela Bruce Media Officer - Charlie Allan

Child Wellbeing and Protection Officer - Kate Dean Club Chaplain - Dougie Simpson

Club Photographers - Dave Cowe, Richard Forbes

Search ‘Get Sky Sports’ Sky Sports available on Sky Glass or with compatible Sky Q or + box. Requires Ultimate TV Subscription (currently £26pcm). Further terms apply. Over 400 games: based on 128 Premier League games; 228 English Football League games (includes 80 red button matches); up to 48 Scottish Professional Football League games; and up to 44 Women’s Super League matches shown across the football season from 31 July 2021 to 29 May 2022.

08 09

ALLOA ATHLETIC 2 COVE RANGERS 2 cinch League One Sat February 26th @ Indodrill Stadium

— Alloa Athletic Match Report

WASPS left STUNG late COVE COMEBA

G AFTER ACK

10 11

Ola Adeyemo’s first strike for the club and Rory McAllister’s 18th of the campaign were enough to rescue a point as we made an astonishing late comeback against The Wasps at the Indodrill Stadium.

Alloa made good use of what was an uncharacteristically below par first half performance from us to deservedly go in at the interval two ahead, thanks to goals from Andy Graham and Steven Boyd.

— Alloa Athletic Match Report

12 13

It could have been more for the home side at that point, although to be fair on our lads we might have actually been level by the break had Jamie Masson not seen a header hit the woodwork and another effort kept out

by Alloa keeper David Hutton.

Alloa hopes of holding on for victory were dented when they had substitute Jon Robertson red carded, only four minutes after he came on, for going in with studs high on Iain Vigurs, on the hour.

But it was manager Paul Hartley having the courage to go for broke by throwing on every attacking substitute he had that was the main reason why we came away with what could end up being a valuable point.

That looked a distance hope in the first half, when we simply weren’t at the races and were pinned back by Alloa from the off.

The Wasps got their opener in the fifth minute when Mohamed Niang managed to knock the ball on to Graham. He didn’t connect properly with his shot from 10-yards, but it was enough to get the ball past Stuart McKenzie into the net.

McKenzie then had to punch the ball off the head of Stefan Scougall at the edge of the six-yard box as the home side threatened again almost immediately.

Alloa were screaming for a penalty when Niang’s shot was deflected wide in the 14th minute, but referee Peter Stuart was content with awarding a corner to the home side.

— Alloa Athletic Match Report

Boyd took the resulting corner, from the left, and his cross reached Niang, who sent his six-yard header wide of the far post. It was all Alloa, so it was no surprise to see them go two up in the 18th minute.

Connor Sammon did well to win the ball deep in our area and when he knocked it to his left Boyd was unmarked to sweep it into the far corner from 12-yards.

We were lucky not to fall three behind in the 20th minute. Adam King fed the ball through to Sammon and his acrobatic volley was kept out by an impressive diving save from McKenzie.

Scougall then broke forward to lash a 16-yard shot wide as the home side continued to dominate.

McKenzie was called into action again in the 24th minute, when he made a brave block at the feet of Daniel Church at the edge of the six yard box. The rebound broke to Boyd but his lob, from a tight angle on the left, went over the crossbar.

Cove manager Paul Hartley chose to go with a 3-5-2 formation at that point in an effort to stem the tide and we were desperately unlucky not to pull a goal back in the 35th minute.

Mark Reynolds played the ball down the left to Harry Milne and his cross reached Masson, who saw his powerful eight-yard header rebound to safety off Alloa keeper Hutton’s right post.

>>>

Masson was desperately unlucky again in the 40th minute. Reynolds fired a magnificent cross over from wide on the left and Masson looked certain to score from close range at the back post, but Hutton somehow managed to scoop the ball clear.

That meant we came back out with hope that we could recover, although it was Alloa who continued to look more dangerous, on the break, in the early stages of the second period.

You could sense a switch in momentum on the hour, when Robertson was shown a red card for his clumsy, high, challenge on Vigurs, who required treatment before he could continue.

Manager Hartley responded to having the man advantage by bringing on McAllister and Kai Fotheringham and piling men forward.

Alloa were asking for a red card to be shown to Morgyn Neill in the 68th minute, despite the fact the defender seemed to have made a perfectly timed tackle to stop Sammon running in on goal.

Referee Stuart chose to book Neill, with Boyd then blasting the resulting 20-yard free-kick over the crossbar.

McAllister set up Fotheringham with a clever lay-off, in the 70th minute, but the young attacker could only guide his 14yard shot over the crossbar.

14 15

— Alloa Athletic Match Report

16 17

We went for broke in the 77th minute, with Adeyemo, Leighton McIntosh and Robbie Leitch all added to what was now virtually a six man attack.

And our determination to salvage something was rewarded in the 81st minute when Milne fired a splendid cross over from the left touchline and Adeyemo rose to steer a brilliant eight-yard header into the corner of the net.

There was no time to celebrate as we raced back to get play restarted and Adeyemo’s appeal for a penalty when he appeared to be shoved, in the 83rd minute, was waved away by the referee.

Alloa were hanging on desperately now and it took a last-gasp block from Scott Taggart to stop Fraser Fyvie equalising a minute later, after Milne and McAllister had combined to get the ball to him.

The equaliser our show of guts and character deserved finally arrived in the 85th minute, after Fotheringham managed to knock the ball on to McAllister, deep inside the Alloa area.

Hutton seemed to have his goal covered, but veteran striker McAllister showed his class by squeezing a right foot shot past him from the tightest of angles on the left.

We laid siege to the Alloa goal after that, but just ran out of time, with Hutton grabbing a Milne cross right under his crossbar the last action of what had been an enthralling finale.

>>>

— Alloa Athletic Match Report

18 19

Alloa Athletic: Hutton, Durban, Graham, Taggart, Cawley, King (Robertson 56), Niang, Church, Scougall (Riley-Snow 63), Boyd, Sammon (Armour 77).

Subs: Burt, Mendy, Armstrong, O’Donnell, Howie.

Cove Rangers: McKenzie, Neill, Milne, Scully (Fotheringham 63), Ross (Leitch 77), Yule, Megginson (McIntosh 77), Masson (McAllister 63), Vigurs, Fyvie (Adeyemo 77), Reynolds.

Subs: Gourlay.

Referee: Peter Stuart.

— Alloa Athletic Reaction

ALLOA ATHLETIC REACTION

>>>

20 21

Ola Adeyemo is delighted his first goal for Cove Rangers was one that mattered.

The 27-year-old Nigerian striker came off the bench to net with a brilliant header to make it 2-1 as we dramatically fought back from two behind to draw 2-2 with Alloa Athletic in our cinch League One clash at the Indodrill Stadium.

We looked to be on our way to defeat until Ola got on the end of an excellent cross by Harry Milne as the game moved into the final 10 minutes.

Ola said: “I was buzzing after scoring that goal. It was good to get on the park and make a positive contribution to help come back and secure a point.

It wouldn’t have been the same if I had scored in a game that was already as good as won.

Strikers prefer to get goals that really matter and that one certainly did.”

Ola would normally celebrate his goals in style, but he knew he couldn’t afford to do that on this occasion, because we were still a goal behind with less than eight minutes to play. We were against the clock, so it was a case of getting the ball back up to the centre spot as quickly as we could and going at them again,” he said.

— Alloa Athletic Reaction

“ Strikers prefer to get goals that really matter and that one certainly did.”

“It would have been nice to celebrate the goal, I can assure you I was delighted inside, but getting something from the game was more important.”

We did just that, with Rory McAllister pouncing with five minutes left to net his 18th goal of the campaign and extend our unbeaten run in the league to an impressive 17 games.

Ola said: “Rory is an amazing striker, you know you always have a chance when he is on the park. Nobody is ever completely happy with a draw, but we were pleased to come away with a point when you consider we were two goals behind so late in the game. To come back as we did shows just how good a squad of players we have.”

Ola has had to wait patiently for the opportunity to make his mark, the appearance against Alloa was only his eighth since joining the club in September. He is hoping finding the net will increase his chances of also featuring in this evening’s SPFL Trust Trophy semi-final clash with Queen of the South at Balmoral Stadium.

Ola said: “It’s tough when you aren’t playing as often as you would like, but I knew the situation when I joined the club. We have some really high quality strikers and it’s been a case of working hard in training to make sure I’m ready to do the best job I can when called upon.

The more minutes I get the better I will get and it’s natural to hope actually scoring will increase my chances. It would be great to be involved in the semi-final, it’s a huge game for the club.”

22 23

— Vigurs Cup Preview

IAIN VIGURS Cove Rangers midfielder Iain Vigurs is a three time winner of the SPFL Trust Trophy - which was previously known as the Challenge Cup. As we prepare to face Queen of the South in this evening’s semi-final clash at Balmoral Stadium, Iain speaks about those triumphs and how much he would love to get through to another final.

24 25

>>>

— Vigurs Cup Preview

Are you excited to part of a team that has reached the semi-final stages again?

Very much so, mainly because we know it’s a major achievement for our club. The journey they were on before I came to Cove, from playing in the Highland League, up through League Two into League One was already unbelievable.

It would be amazing if we could add another exciting chapter to that by making it to the club’s first senior cup final. We will have to earn that final place though.

Queen of the South are a Championship side, so have to be seen as the favourites to progress tonight. I know we beat them in the Scottish Cup earlier in the season, but that will count for nothing when we face up to each other again.

They will want to get to the final as much as we do, so we know it’s going to take one of our very best performances if we are to come out on top. It took an excellent display from us to get past them in our Scottish Cup replay. We will need to reach those standards again because you can be sure Queen’s will come here determined to show they can do better than they did that last time.

26 27

How important was avoiding defeat in the league at Alloa last weekend going into the cup tie?

Nobody likes to lose because it can hit a team’s confidence. But the game at Alloa was a timely reminder of what happens if you aren’t at it from the off.

We began the match very poorly and before we knew it we were 2-0 down.

We played better after that, but it never looked as if we were going to score until Ola Adeyemo came off the bench. He got right in about the Alloa defenders and Ola’s goal gave us a huge lift. That led to Rory McAllister doing what he does best to rescue a point for us.

We know we can’t afford to give Queen of the South the sort of encouragement Alloa got because of the way we started against them.

>>>

— Vigurs Cup Preview

“ It doesn’t matter what the competition is, if you can get your hands on a winners’ medal in means the world to you.”

28 29

Cove are the only non-Championship side left in the last four, how do the players feel about that?

Immensely proud, it shows the quality of the squad that we have. This stage of the competition tends to feature mainly fulltime sides from the Championship. For us to be in there, alongside Kilmarnock who were a Premiership club last season - as well as Queens and Raith Rovers, both past winners of the competition, is something to feel very pleased about.

Having got this far though, we will only really be happy if we are still in the competition after this evening.

You have already completed a hat-trick of triumphs in the competition (two with Ross County and one with Inverness Caledonian Thistle).

What would it mean to you if you could move to within 90 minutes of maybe claiming a fourth winners’ medal?

That would be something special. I have played with so many really top class players, in England as well as north of the border, who never won a trophy in their entire careers.

It doesn’t matter what the competition is, if you can get your hands on a winners’ medal in means the world to you.

I’ve been very lucky to pick up three already, those wins with County and Inverness were among the highlights of my career. But the more you do it the more you want to do it again. Not just for yourself, but also for the club you are playing for.

Those cup wins were a positive platform for County and Inverness to build on as they worked to progress up the SPFL. I’m sure it would have the same positive effect on Cove Rangers too - but we won’t know that if we don’t do what is needed to get through the very tough match ahead of us tonight.

CHAMPION: Iain Vigurs with the Challenge Cup after helping Ross County win the tournament in 2011.

STOP BALL WATCHING. START PLAYING.

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Jaw-dropping accuracy. The new Mitre Delta Max SPFL. Prepare to mesmerise.

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— Club partners

Principal Club Partner

Principal Stadium Partner

Official Club Partners

30 31

— View from the dugout

PAUL HARTL The club should be proud of the players for setting up such a big occasion for us in what is only our third year playing at SPFL level.

But we will only enjoy being in tonight’s semi-final if we win it. That won’t be easy against Championship opponents, but I can promise you we will give it our best shot.

To actually get to a final would be an incredible achievement when you consider where Cove Rangers were not so long ago.

Some of that lads have been on the journey right through, all the way up from the Highland League, so you can be sure it would mean a lot to them.

32 33

LEY

>>>

— View from the dugout

>>> It would also mean a lot to the host of people working behind the scenes, some of them for many, many years, helping to get our club to where we are at today.

We are going to have to earn the right to play in the SPFL Trust final though. Forget the fact we beat Queen of the South in the Scottish Cup earlier in the season. This is a different competition with a huge prize for both clubs so we better be ready for what I expect to be one of our toughest games of the season.

Queen’s showed their quality by almost beating us here in the Scottish Cup, Rory McAllister secured a replay with virtually the last kick of the ball. We are going to have to be at our very best if we are to avoid that sort of drama and secure what would be a huge result for us.

It’s pleasing that we are going into tie having managed to stretch our unbeaten run in Cinch League One to 17 games by drawing 2-2 away to Alloa Athletic last weekend. It wasn’t our best performance, but credit to the players for finding a way of recovering from 2-0 down to secure what could end up being a very valuable point.

You don’t have unbeaten runs like ours if you lack players with the right character and desire to succeed.

Cup ties offer a different type of challenge, but the players know those same qualities that have served us so well in the league will be needed again tonight.

Enjoy the game.

Paul Hartley

34 35

“ You don’t have unbeaten runs like ours if you lack players with the right character and desire to succeed.”

— Player and management sponsorship

MANAGEMENT Paul Hartley

Gordon Young

Tam Ritchie

SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE

GOALKEEPERS Stuart McKenzie

Kyle Gourlay

SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE

DEFENDERS Harry Milne

Scott Ross

Ryan Strachan

LOCAL , NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL ROAD HAULAGE

ABERDEEN 01224 – 781698 WWW.MGSLOGISTICS.CO.UK

Jevan Anderson

Shay Logan

Morgyn Neill

Mark Reynolds

36 37

MIDFIELDERS

Fraser Fyvie

Connor Scully

Blair Yule

Jamie Masson

Iain Vigurs

Robbie Leitch

Kai Fotheringham

SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE

FORWARDS Mitchel Megginson

Leighton McIntosh

Rory McAllister

Ola Adeyemo

SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE

CRFC offer excellent advertising opportunities to organisations who are looking to share marketing messages, or to build their brand via one or more of our channels. Get in touch with our commercial team for further information.

To register Interest for sponsorship, contact: Angela Bruce - abruce@coverangersfc.com

— Season 2021/22 statistics

Previous 21/22 data available on previous match programmes Date

Fixture

Game H/A

F A Starting

Starting

Starting Starting

Starting

Starting

Starting

Starting

Starting

Sta

02/01/2022

Peterhead

SPFL1

A

1

0

S.McKenzie1

M.Neill

C.Scully

S.Ross

R.Strachan

B.Yule

L.McIntosh

R.McAllister (J.Anderson)

R.Leitch (O.Adeyemo)

F.Fy

08/01/2022

Clyde

SPFL1

A

1

0

S.McKenzie

M.Neill

H.Milne

R.Strachan

B.Yule

L.McIntosh (F.Robertson)

R.McAllister

J.Anderson

I.Vigurs1

R.Le (J.M

15/01/2022

Montrose

SPFL1

H

1

0

S.McKenzie

M.Neill

H.Milne

S.Ross

R.Strachan

B.Yule

M.Megginson (L.McIntosh)

R.McAllister1

I.Vigurs (C.Scully)

F.Fy

20/01/2022

Hibernian

SC

A

0 1

K.Gourlay

M.Neill

H.Milne

C.Scully

S.Ross

R.Strachan (J.Anderson)

B.Yule

M.Megginson

J.Masson (M.Reynolds)

L.Mc (R.M

29/01/2022

Dumbarton

SPFL1

A

2 2

S.McKenzie

M.Neill

H.Milne

C.Scully1

S.Ross

B.Yule

M.Megginson

R.McAllister1

I.Vigurs

F.Fy

05/02/2022 Airdrieonians

SPFL1

H

1

S.McKenzie

M.Neill

H.Milne1

C.Scully

S.Ross

B.Yule

M.Megginson

R.McAllister (J.Masson)

I.Vigurs

F.Fy (K.Fo

12/02/2022

Queen’s Park

SPFL1

H

0 0

S.McKenzie

M.Neill

H.Milne

C.Scully (J.Masson)

S.Ross

B.Yule (K.Fotheringham)

M.Megginson

L.McIntosh (R.McAllister)

I.Vigurs

F.Fy

19/02/2022

Falkirk

SPFL1

H

2 0

S.McKenzie

M.Neill

H.Milne

C.Scully

S.Ross

R.Strachan

B.Yule

M.Megginson1

I.Vigurs

F.Fy

26/02/2022

Alloa Athletic

SPFL1

A

2 2

S.McKenzie

M.Neill

H.Milne

C.Scully (K.Fotheringham)

S.Ross (L.McIntosh)

B.Yule

M.Megginson (O.Adeyemo)

J.Masson (R.McAllister)

I.Vigurs

F.Fy (R.Le

01/03/2022

Queen of the South CC

H

05/03/2022 Peterhead

SPFL1

H

12/03/2022

Clyde

SPFL1

H

19/03/2022

Montrose

SPFL1

A

26/03/2022

Airdrieonians

SPFL1

A

02/04/2022 Queen’s Park

SPFL1

H

09/04/2022

Falkirk

SPFL1

A

16/04/2022

Alloa Athletic

SPFL1

H

23/04/2022

Dumbarton

SPFL1

H

SPFL1

A

30/04/2022 East Fife

1

38 39

arting

Starting

Sub

Sub

Sub

Sub

Sub

Sub

Sub

Sub

Sub

Referee

AS1

AS2

yvie

S.Logan

J.Anderson

O.Adeyemo

K.Gourlay

-

-

-

-

-

-

Mike Roncone

Michael Banks

Barry Reid

eitch Masson)

S.Logan

J.Masson

O.Adeyemo

F.Robertson

K.Gourlay

-

-

-

-

-

Steven Reid

David Doig

Elliott Husband Powton

yvie

S.Logan (J.Anderson)

C.Scully

J.Masson

L.McIntosh

J.Anderson

O.Adeyemo

R.Leitch

K.Gourlay

-

-

Matthew MacDermid

Alastair Mather

Andy Milne

cIntosh McAllister)

F.Fyvie (R.Leitch)

R.McAllister

J.Anderson

O.Adeyemo

R.Leitch

M.Reynolds

-

-

-

-

Euan Anderson

Drew Kirkland

Michael Banks

yvie

M.Reynolds

J.Masson

L.McIntosh

J.Anderson

O.Adeyemo

R.Leitch

K.Gourlay

-

-

-

Alan Muir

Jonathan Bell

George King

yvie otheringham)

M.Reynolds

R.Strachan

J.Masson

L.McIntosh

J.Anderson

O.Adeyemo

R.Leitch

K.Fotheringham

K.Gourlay

-

Barry Cook

Graham Chambers

Brian Christie

yvie

M.Reynolds

R.Strachan

J.Masson

R.McAllister

J.Anderson

O.Adeyemo

R.Leitch

K.Fotheringham

K.Gourlay

-

Alan Newlands

Paul O’Neill

Scott Anderson

yvie1

M.Reynolds

J.Masson

L.McIntosh

J.Anderson

O.Adeyemo

R.Leitch

K.Fotheringham

K.Gourlay

-

-

Colin Steven

Stuart Stevenson

Paul McAvinue

yvie eitch)

M.Reynolds

L.McIntosh

R.McAllister1

O.Adeyemo1

R.Leitch

K.Fotheringham

K.Gourlay

-

-

-

Peter Stuart

George King

Ross Clark

David Dickinson

Alastair Mather

Steven Traynor

ATT

— Season 2021/22 statistics

#CRFCLIVE

40 41

Name

Appearances

Goals

Position

Yellow

Red

Stuart McKenzie

26

1

GK

0

0

Kyle Gourlay

11

0

GK

0

0

Harry Milne

31

1

DF

5

1

Scott Ross

31

0

DF

7

0

Ryan Strachan

19

1

DF

1

0

Morgyn Neill

36

3

DF

5

0

Jevan Anderson

10

0

DF

0

0

Shay Logan

20

0

DF

0

1

Mark Reynolds

6

0

DF

3

0

Rhys Thomas

2

0

DF

0

0

Connor Scully

34

2

MF

4

0

Blair Yule

34

2

MF

2

1

Jamie Masson

25

4

MF

2

0

Kai Fotheringham

3

0

MF

0

0

Fraser Fyvie

31

8

MF

6

1

Iain Vigurs

31

3

MF

8

0

Ross Draper

5

0

MF

1

0

Robbie Leitch

23

5

MF

1

0

Mitchel Megginson

35

17

FW

7

0

Leighton McIntosh

29

4

FW

0

0

Rory McAllister

35

18

FW

7

0

Ola Adeyemo

7

1

FW

0

0

— Captain’s view

W

C

’S VIE

AIN T P A

42 43

“ We are proud to have taken Cove Rangers to the club’s first major cup semi-final less than three years since we made the step up from the Highland League.”

It shows how far we have come and is a welcome reward to everyone involved at the club, not just the players and coaching staff.

There’s a whole army of people who do invaluable work behind the scenes that often goes unnoticed but is crucial if we are to have any chance of being successful. We would love to show how much we appreciate their efforts by giving them a cup final to look forward to once again.

Cove Rangers were used to competing in semi-finals and finals when we played at Highland League level and we want that to become a regular occurrence now that we are in the SPFL too.

Achieving that in the Scottish Cup and Premier Sports League Cup will be more difficult because you are up against the Premiership clubs in the latter stages, although we were encouraged by how well we did when we played Hibs at Easter Road in the former last month.

The SPFL Trust Trophy, however, offers every club in the lower divisions a better opportunity of making it to a final and getting their hands on some silverware. Having made it to the semis this time around, the aim - of course - is to see if we can go all the way in the competition. But let’s not forget the players of Queen of the South and those in the two teams competing in the other semi-final tomorrow night will be thinking exactly the same thing.

>>>

— Captain’s view

>>> The fact we are the only non-Championship side left in the last four underlines how tough the task ahead of us is, but that is a challenge we are happy to take on. We have at least given ourselves the opportunity to make it to the final and it is up to us to do all that we can to take advantage of that, especially with tonight’s tie taking place here at Balmoral Stadium.

Any team would be delighted to get the chance to play a cup semi at their own ground, especially when you add in how fantastic our record has been since we made the step up three years ago.

The fact Queen of the South held us to a draw here earlier in the season in the Scottish Cup serves as a reminder that we can’t afford to be complacent. Even though we managed to win the replay, those games gave The Doonhamers an insight into what we are like as a team. That will ensure there is no complacency in their camp, even though they are up against opponents from the division below.

Their players will also be keen to avenge what happened to them in the Scottish Cup, so I reckon this game is going to be the hardest of all the ones between us so far. We will need to make sure we are at our best, from the first minute to the last, if we are to have any hope of winning.

It is also an evening when we will need the Cove Rangers fans to be at their very best. The small band who made the long trek down to Dumfries for the Scottish Cup replay, despite the atrocious weather conditions that night, really made themselves heard and inspired us to deliver one of our best performances of the season.

There will be far more Cove Rangers fans here tonight, so it would be marvellous if you could get behind us like you always do as we go into what is probably the biggest match played so far at Balmoral Stadium since it opened.

CYCR! Mitch Megginson

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— Club honours

Scottish League 2 Winners: 2019-20

Aberdeenshire Cup Winners: 2001-02, 2010-11, 2018-19

Highland League Winners: 2000-01, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2012-13, 201516, 2017-18, 2018-19

Runners-up: 1992-93, 1994-95, 2016-17, 2017-18

Runners-up: 1989-90, 1992-93, 1994-95, 1995-96, 2009-10, 2011-12, 2016-17 Scottish Qualifying Cup (North) Winners: 1990-91, 2000-01 Runners-up: 1988-89, 1991-92, 2001-02, 2003-04 Highland League Cup Winners: 1994-95, 1999-2000, 2004-05, 2014-15, 2016-17, 2018-19 Runners-up: 1990-91, 1992-93, 1995-96, 1997-98, 2005-06, 2007-08, 2011-12

Aberdeenshire Shield Winners: 1990-91, 2000-01, 2008-09, 2017-18 Runners-up: 1994-95, 2012-13, 2015-16 Aberdeenshire & District League Winners: 2000-01, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2014-15 Runners-up: 2006-07 Aberdeenshire Centenery Cup Runners-up: 1986-87 Inter-League Trophy Winners: 2001-02

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— Today’s team lines

Cove Rangers FC Manager - Paul Hartley

Queen of the South FC Manager - Wullie Gibson

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Stuart McKenzie Morgyn Neill Harry Milne Connor Scully Scott Ross Ryan Strachan Blair Yule Mitchel Megginson (C) Jamie Masson Leighton McIntosh Rory McAllister Ross Draper Jevan Anderson Iain Vigurs Ola Adeyemo Rhys Thomas Robbie Leitch Balint Demus Kyle Gourlay Fraser Fyvie Shay Logan Mark Reynolds Kai Fotheringham

Josh Rae Darragh O’Connor Alex Cooper Udoka Chima Paul McKay Harry Cochrane Ruari Paton Josh Todd Ally Roy Lee Connelly Aidan Fitzpatrick Josh Debayo Ben Liddle Calvin McGrory Euan East Niyah Joseph Kieran McKechnie Innes Cameron Roberto Nditi Dom McMahon Max Johnston Shea Gordon Samuel Folarin Scott Dunn Ryan Muir Matthew Henderson Charlie Cowie Wullie Gibson Rueben Junior

Today’s referee - David Dickinson Today’s assistant referees - Alastair Mather, Steven Traynor Team lines sponsor