Fraserburgh manager Mark Cowie is confident his team will put on a Premier Sports Cup show against top-flight Kilmarnock.
A bumper crowd is expected at a revamped Bellslea for the first game of the season on Saturday, with Derek McInnes’ Premiership outfit providing the opposition.
The Broch have been hard at work off the pitch during the break – investing in a new enclosure behind one of the goals, as well as new handrails, cladding and other modifications aimed at further improving the matchday experience for the Black and Whites faithful.
Cowie is sure his side will give fans a blockbuster game on the pitch to go with the intrigue of changes off it, saying: “We want to play our game and show everybody we’re a good side. People within the Highland League circle know we’re a good side, but maybe clubs outside don’t really appreciate what we’re made of.
“So we’ll put on a good show against some really top opposition and it’s going to be a big crowd – there’s been a lot of developments off the park over the last few months, and there’s people eager to see what the new Bellslea looks like.
“The worst thing that could happen is we don’t turn up and disappoint them, but I’m pretty confident that won’t happen.
“We’ll give it a go and as long as we give it a go our fans will be happy. They like to see effort, they like to see guys trying and that’s definitely not short in supply in our side.”
Broch to use whole squad in League Cup group matches
Fraserburgh’s League Cup Group B fixtures (after Killie, the Broch host Montrose Tuesday, before travelling to Stenhousemuir on July 16 and then Partick Thistle on July 19) will be a balancing act for Cowie.
He’s determined to test McInnes’ Championship winners on Saturday, but knows chasing results at all cost in the Premier Sports Cup matches could be detrimental to the Broch’s Highland League title defence, which begins against Deveronvale on July 23.
Cowie said: “If we go and focus on the next four games and try to win them all, my guys will be burned out a bit by the time it comes to Deveronvale.
“So we have to use the whole squad and make sure everybody gets the chance to play against good quality players.”
In terms of his tactics against Kilmarnock, Cowie plans to have a go, adding: “You have to have both (sides). You can’t totally nullify and go out to park the bus, so to speak.
“If you do that, with the quality of opposition you’re up against, they will find the chance and put it in the net.
“We have to have a go and make sure they’re tested.
“Derek won’t want to come up and just have a stroll. He’ll want to be tested to see what his squad’s made of, so we’ll want to compete, give a good account of ourselves, but at the same time make sure we don’t give much away.
“It’ll be a balance of both.”
Barbour unavailable – but Sargent’s showings impressing Cowie
The Broch’s chances of a thrilling upset against Killie will be hit by the absence of attackers Scott Barbour – last season’s Highland League top scorer and player of the year – Paul Campbell and Aidan Combe, as well as centre-half Jamie Beagrie.
Meanwhile, it was announced this week central midfielder Grant Campbell has decided to retire after last term’s title win.
Cowie thinks, given how early the League Cup gets under way, availability issues in his squad are understandable.
He said: “It’s not been ideal, but the guys only had five weeks of a break, so there’s a few holidays just now that are taking precedence over the preparations.
“We’re a part-time club and the amount of work my guys put in over the season, plus over the Covid break, was incredible.
“Although you have to keep your foot on the throttle, you have to weigh that up against the time off they’ve earned and they deserve that.
“We’ve got a squad and that’s what it’s for, so we’ll maybe be able to throw a couple of youngsters in to see what they’re made of.”
The Broch have been frustrated thus far over the summer in their attempts to add to their playing pool – a struggle which has surprised Cowie given the club’s current status as the Highland League’s top dogs.
However, the Bellslea boss is happy with the talent at his disposal, and in Ryan Sargent – likely to start up top on Saturday – he has a forward who has been performing to a level in pre-season which will be keeping long-established strikers like Barbour and Campbell on their toes.
Cowie said: “Ryan’s had a really good pre-season. We knew Ryan had it in him and it’s just a case of getting it out of him.
“Over the last couple of games he’s shown he’s going to be a massive player for us next season, and quite rightly because his attitude is brilliant, his work rate is tremendous, and he’s got the skill to go with it.”
