I took this of the Pollock Juniors Web, a few interesting ties:

Cant beleive Lochee have been paired with Bathgate and i think Pollock are absolute certainties against Spartans after the tanking Linlithgow gave them last year...

The full draw: (ties being played 27/9/08)

Rothes v Buckie Thistle
Golspie Sutherland v Threave Rovers
Banks O Dee v Fort William
Lochee United v Bathgate Thistle
Selkirk v Coldstream
St Cuthbert Wanderers v Wick Academy
Fraserburgh v Hawick Royal Albert
Newton Stewart v Brora Rangers
Huntly v Girvan
Pollok v Spartans
Edinburgh City v Nairn County
Inverurie Loco Works v Deveronvale
Dalbeattie Star v Lossiemouth
Edinburgh University v Civil Service Strollers
Preston Athletic v Gala Fairydean
Wigtown & Bladnoch v Forres Mechanics
Clachnacuddin v Burntisland Shipyard
Glasgow University v Vale of Leithen

After watching Bathgate on Saturday and Lochee last season I can't see past a home win.

Pollok should dispose of Saprtans fairly easily and give Mickey lawson something else to maon about.

...and Banks O'Dee look to have got a fairly straight forward path into the next round.

Nae luck to Threave!

Aye, it's a shame that Bathgate (or Lochee possibly) won't get a chance to play against any seniors. That's the fun of the competition; playing against new opposition. Don't give Pollok a win yet as Spartans weren't out of the Rose match at 1-1 in the second half, though they ended up well-beaten eventually. I'm still envious that the Rose aren't in that draw and would still like to see that talked-of dual-membership even if just to have a pop at the seniors once a season.

Golspie v Threave must be just about the maximum distance for a tie. Will they charter a private jet to fly up on the morning of the tie, I wonder?

I have to say I fancy Pollok against Spartans. I still think Spartans to a certain extent are riding on the past results of the Scottish Cup and a replay v St Mirren.

Some good ties- I think Bank of Dees will be pleased with the draw.

Wick Acad to St Cuthbert W,
Hawick RA to Fraserburgh,
Brora R to Newton Stewart
Girvan to Huntly
Lossiemouth to Dalbeattie star
Forres Mech to Wigtown & Badenoch

The only happy people will be the coach firms, plenty of long journeys in this draw.

Must be a few games there that are teams that have never played before.

It's a bit early to start the Spartans dissin' is it not boys? Not the opening tie we would have chosen but ...

quite a different looking Spartans this year. Kev Brown (goalie) ret'd, Kev Motion (midfield) off to Stenhousemuir, Jon Seeley (CB) off to Brechin and Ross Campbell (midfield/striker) off to Forfar.

Coming in are Chris Flockhart (goalie) from Berwick, Nicky Walker (striker) from Stirling Albion, Robbie Manson (midfield) from Berwick and Daryl Devlin (striker) from Civil Service Strollers. Dean Hoskins (LB) steps up from the Seconds.

Weather has played havoc with fixtures so far, 4 games out of 6 postponed but in the 2 competitive games and the pre season we've seen that there are goals in this team. Just a pity Keith McLeod won't be back for that one.

So while it is not the tie we would have chose we all said last year and since that our boys had a bad day at the office last year against Lithgow so I guess this is the ideal opportunity to put up or shut up.

Saw their new goalie Flockhart a few times - would struggle to keep hens out of a close. Big lad who needs to improve his general game - although to be fair he is a good shot stopper (occasionally) Very much doubt any real worries here for Pollok. NIcky Walker isn't that bad but switches off to easily.

Totally agree with Thistleandrose. Spartans are a capable football team who happened to play to less than their potential on one of the few days last season when our boys really showed what they could do. Pollok will need to be on their toes to progress but they should have enough about them. As for being in the competition, I feel for Lochee and Bathgate fans - this is the last thing you want (apart from Golspie away!!). But that's the luck of the draw and at least you're in there. Enjoy!

Pollock may beat Spartans but Im sure they wont find it easy !! Spartans have only played 2 games so far but have looked very good going forward & have scored 10 goals & lost 3.Spartans are more than capable of getting a result if they perform to their full potential on the day.They let themselves down badly last year against Linlithgow & too many players had an off day.ML will have them well prepared & I think it will be a close game which could go either way.I would settle for a draw but ML always adopts a positive approach & will be looking to win the tie at the first attempt.I hope its a cracking game & a good advert for non-league football.

Girvan have scored quite a few goals in the sectional League cup ties and beat Kilsyth 4-1 and from the looks of it they've improved a lot since they were last in the West 1st.(talking from a not actually seen them basis here)

However i think Huntly will have too much for them but with Darren Mitchell there they'll always have a good chance of scoring some goals.

I hope Spartans have some good defenders! Lok's 2nd half performance v Beith on 30/8/08 and the 1st half v Arthrulie last weekend (6/9/08) were the best 90 minutes of attacking football I've seen us play in ages. Top of the league, 3 wins out of 3, 13 scored 3 against.

Beith v Pollok (2nd half) LOK IN RED
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0dPBxST4Uk

Pollok v Arthrulie (1st half) LOK IN BLACK AND WHITE HOOPS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3unXaHi7Nw

I think that's a bit harsh !... i've seen the lad play a few times and he looked decent enough when we played Berwick in a couple of friendlies last year. Would think that Spartans will be WELL up for it this time, what with missing out on entry to the League and the result (manner rather than the eventual score) we inflicted last year, they will definitely have something to prove !..

Lochee v Bathgate !! C'mon Lochee !!..... Bit unfortunate that it had to happen, but if Lochee win, then there is a God after all ....

Excellent goal by McGeown in the Beith game. Some tackle by one of the Pollok players in that clip too about a minute in .

Aye the tackle's from the silver fox Andy Essler who also played McGeown in for his goal with an excellent pass.

Interesting how you never mentioned the first half highlights, were if Beith had taken their chances, your team would have been down 4-1 at half time. Got to admit that I was really impressed with some of the football Pollok played, although quite frankly we never turned up for the second half.

Hope Pollok and the other junior teams do well in the scottish cup this year.

I think the clue was "Lok's 2nd half performance v Beith on 30/8/08 and the 1st half v Arthrulie last weekend (6/9/08) were the best 90 minutes of attacking football I've seen us play in ages."

Beith DIDN'T take their chances going down the hill which was why you went in 1-1 at the break. Does the slope usually play such a part in games at Bellsdale? It was definitely the case on the 30th that the team going up the slope was almost always on the back foot, and yes Beith could have scored a few more in the 1st half. Could being the key word - nae prizes for not scoring!

[quote name='cmontheloknow' date='Sep 10 2008, 07:18' post='2762916']
I think the clue was "Lok's 2nd half performance v Beith on 30/8/08 and the 1st half v Arthrulie last weekend (6/9/08) were the best 90 minutes of attacking football I've seen us play in ages."

Beith DIDN'T take their chances going down the hill which was why you went in 1-1 at the break. Does the slope usually play such a part in games at Bellsdale? It was definitely the case on the 30th that the team going up the slope was almost always on the back foot, and yes Beith could have scored a few more in the 1st half. Could being the key word - nae prizes for not scoring!

It was more a comment on your own qoute of "I hope Spartans have some good defenders" as your own defence was ripped opened 3 times in the first 15mins.

As I said earlier the football Pollok played in the second half was terrific, just don't get too caried away with it.

have to agree with you, banks o dee should beat fort no bother. still dont think they will do as well as culter did last season in getting to the 3rd round.

Lok were outstanding taking apart Arthurlie a week later, so I'm happy to get carried away just now. Maybe it's just beating the 'Lie that's done it

Still maintain that if we play as we can going forward, a few defences will have bad afternoons.

Then again, we could lose 1-0 to Peasy on Saturday

Its funny how the comments of today suddenly have Spartans as a capable team, played below their potential, Pollok shouldnt underestimate etc etc, when last season it was all about how easily Lithgae had beat them and how superior the junior teams were compared to Spartans!

Youve got to chuckle.

Theres no doubt it will be an extremely difficult game for Spartans but.................................that would apply to any team at this stage.

Cup fitba's brilliant.

ps. Dont mention Golspie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You wont get me saying that
they are just being diplomatic
Spartans were humped last year and will be humped this year
still raises a chuckle that the EOS teams think they are any where near the
standard of the Linlithgow, Lochee, Polloks or the like

Its like comparing Rangers or Celtic with Albion Rovers !!!!!

We don't want Pollok to think they can just turn up to beat Spartans. The Rose did beat them convincingly but it was a good Rose on the crest of a wave before the slump. Pollok should still win, especially on the basis of their recent results but remember, Spartans have a record of being brilliant as underdogs in the cup; they're underdogs this time round!

I agree that Cup fitba's brilliant, especially when you're not really sure how good the opposition are.

Grumpy, it's not that we are being diplomatic as Juniornews says, make no mistake Spartans were taken to the cleaners and ripped up for bog roll last year against the Rose, when prematch they would have been looked upon as favourites for the tie. What we are saying (or at least i am) is that Spartans should have learned from that and won't make the same mistake of underestimating Junior opposition again. Lawson will have them better drilled and they will know what to expect this year.

Similarily, i'm sure Mr Sinnet won't take for granted the Rose result last year, thinking Pollok merely have to turn up, should be an interesteing game and may yet again add feul to the Junior / Senior debate ......

This will be going over old ground a bit Specky and while you're entitled to your opinion I hardly think it is accurate to say we were ripped up for bog roll. I can also assure you there was no way that we underestimated your boys - that was tie we had dreaded.

As for preparation, some things didn't work well for us last year. 2 key players had missed all pre-season having been working abroad and 2 more key players were not available. Add to that, that some of our boys did not perform on the day as we know they can and we end up with a scoreline that does not look good.

Any injuries aside, the biggest problem this year would be lack of games as a result of the weather.

It's a new look team as well but they'll definitely be up for it.

And just like last year. The result won't settle any EoS vs Junior debates.

Should be a cracking game though.

whats with all the postponed games.are the eos teams afraid to get dirty. (joke)

Just not good swimmers!