Buckie Thistle manager Graeme Stewart wants his side to use their Highland League Cup final disappointment in a positive manner when they start the 2020-21 season today.
The Jags tackle Junior side Banks o’ Dee in the first round of the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup at Spain Park this afternoon.
Buckie reached the final of last term’s delayed Highland League last month, but lost out to Rothes.
As the Victoria Park outfit get back on the trophy trail today, Stewart is hoping for the right response.
He said: “I know the players will still be hurting and I know I’m still hurting.
“You’ve got to use it in a positive way and use it and turn it into a positive in terms of not wanting to feel like that again.
“I’ve had enough conversations with them to to know it wasn’t something we enjoyed and they all want to put it right.
“To put it right we’ve got to go and win the next game, so hopefully we can do that against Banks o’ Dee.
“It’s three games to get into the final, so it’s a good opportunity for everyone to try to get to a final.
“Banks o’ Dee will feel exactly the same, and whoever gets through this tie will be a step closer.
“We don’t just want to get to finals we want to win them, but getting to finals shows you’re doing something right and I think we’re doing something right just now.”
Banks o’ Dee have shown themselves to be dangerous opponents in the Aberdeenshire Cup and Shield.
They reached three successive Shield finals in 2017, 2018 and 2019 and also reached the final of this tournament in 2018.
Co-manager Tommy Forbes says they will take confidence from those exploits.
He added: “We do take confidence from the runs we’ve had in the past, we’ve beaten a lot of teams home and away.
“We’ve made Spain Park a bit of a fortress in the Juniors and, when the Highland League clubs come to Spain Park, a few guys have said to us our pitch may make a difference and results have perhaps shown that.
“We’re hoping it will make a difference again with that home advantage, because if this game was up at Buckie it would be totally different.
“But, being at home, we’re quietly confident we can give Buckie a really good game.”