A repeat of Alloa's last visit would be nice but I can't imagine them being caught out like that again so soon.

I do think we'll win but it won't be quite as easy.

Agree with the above, I also reckon it might provide us with a good chance to give a couple of boys 90 minutes. Wardlaw, Dunbar, Cook and Silvestro will all need it and we could do with getting them match fit before we hit the christmas/new year fixture block.

I reckon Alloa need a decent wee cup run to take the pressure off their gaffer and their quality might not be showing at the moment but it's definitely there.

Tough match 2-1 Rovers.

Will be interesting to see is Dundee United will allow Smith to play in this one.
If they do I think it would give a clear indication that he is staying beyond the New Year.

They were allowing him to play in the cup tie at albion rovers earlier in the season, so hopefully the same will happen again, providing he has recovered from his injury against brechin. I've a feeling we will breeze through this one then get drawn away to ross county in the next round

I disagree. We should play our strongest team, as we could really do with getting into the next round of this cup and having a chance at getting a financial boost. Tiredness shouldn't be an issue as it is only one game a week.

I do feel a bit sorry for the ones left on the bench, and they will be lacking match practise due to no reserve team, but winning this game is much more important. 20 minutes at the end of games is enough for the subs (presuming all goes well).

Having beaten Alloa comfortably only a few weeks ago, and with them coming off the back of a home defeat to one of their main relegation rivals we really should win this one. A typical Rovers side would lose 1-0 probably, so it's up to this side to show us that they are more than that.

We beat them comfortably a few weeks ago, although I think that'll still be on their minds and they will be out for revenge. I want us to progress just as much as anyone does, but I agree with Izreid that we should give the likes of Cook and Dunbar a game, keep them on their toes. We're certainly good enough to win this, although I expect us to play much better than we did on Saturday.

Really looking forward to this after missing the Brechin game.

Imperative that we win this to get a chance of drawing the OF or the Pars in the next round. For that reason alone I agree with Recre that we need to be at full strength.

I'm not particularly concerned about tiredness (although I'd like us to rest Sparky). My problem is that over the next 2 0r 3 months we are gonnaget games called off and played midweek, we're gonna have 2 hard games over Christmas away to Peterhead and at home to East Fife. IMO we will need our squad and I'd rather we used them in games we should win even when not at full strength.

I'd go with this:

McGurn

Wilson
Cook
Ellis
Davidson

Dunbar*
Walker
Ferry
Sloan

Wales
Weir

* I'm not convinced we should change the system, so perhaps we could play Dunbar in the front three. Not sure McGlynn would see it that way though.

I know I'll probably provoke outrage for not starting Campbell and Kevin Smith, but both are prone to their fair share of injuries, so I'd put them on the bench for this one.

I'd agree with that but maybe play Sloan as part of the front 3? No pace but that's never stopped him being effective.

I'd rather have Dunbar there to be honest. Dunbar is a natural winger and I think we'd waste him if we gave him a central role. We know Sloan can play well there, best to keep him there.

Fair enough, I'm simply thinking that it might be better if we're giving him his first 90 minutes to play him as close to his natural position as possible.

Plus, it's Alloa, Sloan is guaranteed at least an assist.

It's certainly a strong case. Dunbar can beat players though, if he could cut inside and get a few cutbacks, to Weir or Wales then I think we'd score a couple from that.

Yep, hopefully Sloan will keep up his good form of late

I think it will probably be easier. We are having a nightmarish season, particularly away from home, and the confidence is shot to pieces. We could well take a mauling on Saturday. Hopefully the ref will be wiser to some of the tricks of the Raith forwards than the last one was but it wont make much difference to the scoreline anyway.

Anywhere between 2-0 and 6-0.

Agreed. I could write an essay on all the things wrong with us just now.

Thankfully I have something less torturous than watching us planned for Saturday.

What's that....... a vasectomy without anaesthetic?

Sorry I know you shouldn't kick someone when they're down bet oh well......

A win here would do nicely.

Aberdeen/Inverurie Locos away in the next round should we win

Thinking about heading along to this game with a few other Pars fans since we don't have a game this week. Any idea what the prices will be?

£14 and £7.

Can't seem to get excited for this. Maybe closer to the game.

I might go along to this sinse Dunfermline have no game....would of course be sitting with the Alloa fans..

Cheers.

Might be more Pars fans than Alloa fans at this game!

For some reason, I think this will be a tougher match than the league game a few weeks ago, I'm hoping the players don't get complacent wih the win a few weeks ago still fresh in the memory, plus Alloa may well see this as a welcome distraction from their poor showing in the league. As always, I can see us slipping up here, possibly scraping a draw. I just hope McGlynn plays his best 11 available.

I think on paper we're clear favourites, but being clear favourites is a poison chalice to us. Just ask Dumbarton and Queens Park.

I'm treating this as a game between two sides in the same league playing in the cup, so I'm taking nothing for granted. If I see a good game and we're still in the cup at 5pm saturday, win or draw, I'll be satisfied.

Dundee Utd are apparently refusing to let Kevin Smith play on Saturday as they don't want him cup tied. Reads to me like they'll be recalling him in January. Bad news, bad news indeed.

Certainly sounds like it. And as Hislop will not be back in time for Janurary do you think McGlynn will dip into the transfer market?

Not without a marked increase in funds. Either we go round the doors with our begging bowls or we hope that Wales can provide us with enough goals.

....or we get into the next round and draw Celtic or Rangers in Glasgow

It's possible they may recall Smith, although I wouldn't read into it too deeply at this stage. They a couple of players ahead of him as it is, and probably David Goodwillie too. They might just be taking precaution in case they get any injuries until January when they may, or may not recall him. Hopefully they let him stay with us though.

Aye, I think you're right - its likely to be only precautionary.

I hope I'm right

It's the cup, we're gonna lose.....

Next round? What's one of those?

We did manage to get past Threave Rovers last year...

If it is 3 or 4 nil then we are as bad as we think.

Hopefully because it's a cup-tie we may play with more confidence. As Raith play only 3 in midfield, I'd like to see us playing a competitive 5 in midfiled to stop them playing. I would try something along these lines.

Jelly (unless he's suspended )

McLune
Towners
Forrest
Hill

McKewon
Grant
Bomber
Scullion
Jamie

Kyle

I've recently been working on the assumption that 'the cup' is just a series of one off games.

Just checked the BBC weather forecast. They're currently quoting temp of -3 and fog for tomorrow afternoon. Brrr!

And get accused of playing "anti-football" by all the Raith posters?

I live in hope that we'll get something from the game, this is the cup after all, and not the league. Beat Raith the last time we played them in the cup at Starks, so hopefully they underestimate Alloa after the 4-1 game, and our defence get a bit more switched on, and the team get a few breaks.

Not hugely confident, but we were playing a bit better before the Queens Park game. A replay would probably suit.

And Jellema is eligible for tomorrows match, but will be suspended for the East Fife game.

He's suspended for "1 SFL First Team Match (Immediate)" I don't think that includes the cup?

The annoying thing is that actually looks like quite a decent team, how have we managed to lose 9 out of 15 in the league ? Id have Dougie with Towner at centre back and Campbell at left back but otherwise dont see much wrong with that 11.

What was the guy's name that played right back for Alloa last season/this season?
I was always quite impressed with him and he took the Raith fans banter in good spirits at Recreation Park.

Is he still there? He had the potential to be the 2nd best right back in the division.

I am wraped up ward and ready to go. Oh aye KDY

It's fucking freezing in Kirkcaldy. but the match is on. Wrap up warm!

Hopefully we at least see a good game to warm us up.

Teh sun is out, shouldn't be too cold. MonTheRovers!!

Rovers love affair with the Scottish Cup continues. Nil-nil at home against 10 man Alloa. Super.

That was fucking atrocious. Really depressing stuff.

That was horrible.

In all my years of going to the football, I have never seen a team play as negatively as Alloa today. Predictable reply, yes, but you had to see it to believe it. I don't think they even had a shot at goal. Certainly not any on target.

We were very poor, didn't look up for it at all. I'd certainly say we missed Kevin Smith, I know Wardlaw is still searching for a bit of sharpness but the difference in class between the two is massive.

It was also absolutely freezing, which didn't help. Neither did the ref - I know he sent Scullion (deservedly) off, but dearie me, what a howler. No absolutely obvious game changing decision, just a terrible performance overall.

Which would sum up the match. Terrible. Leaves us with three away games in a week, playing Stirling, Alloa and Queen's Park. You never know though, Alloa might play a striker at the Recs.

Agree with that. Two banks of 5, (5 and 4 when Scullion went off). Speaking of Scullion. He really is a big cheating hunk of shit.

Edit: Probably better that we had a fucking shit crowd today, atleast there were less people there to see it.

That was shite. No other way of putting it.

An utterly dire game, Alloa sat in the whole game with no interest of scoring, we never looked like scoring. We didn't seem up for it today, no sense of urgency in the team at all. We really should have capitalised when Alloa went down to 10 men, we didn't and that says it all really.

We now face a tuesday night replay away from home that we could really do without. Fan-fucking-tastic.

Certainly not worth freezing my bollocks off for.

We'd only managed one draw from all our away games this season up to today and we lost 4-1 at Starks a few weeks ago, were you really expecting us to go out all guns blazing? ?. Im genuinely surprised with the draw given our recent form and the fact we played the second half with 10 men but well done to the lads, might give the team a bit of belief and we're always a better team at the Recs too.

WTF was with the boycott with FF today, too btw!? Nae huge clothy