Brora Rangers’ Ali Sutherland is aiming to make it a hat-trick of GPH Builders Merchants Highland League Cup successes.
The Cattachs tackle Fraserburgh in the final of this season’s tournament on Sunday at Inverurie’s Harlaw Park.
Midfielder Sutherland has tasted success twice before in the Highland League Cup, in contrasting circumstances.
The 27-year-old’s first triumph was with Rothes at the height of the Covid pandemic in 2020, when they defeated Buckie Thistle behind closed doors.
Looking ahead to this weekend’s showpiece, he said: “At this stage of your career you want to be playing regularly and trying to compete for trophies and for me there’s no better club to do that at than Brora.
“Hopefully I can win the League Cup again, we know it will be a tough game, but we’re playing well and hopefully we come away with a win.
“The first time I won it with Rothes was during Covid so there were no fans at the game.
“But it was my first bit of silverware and it was still a brilliant feeling to win it.
“Afterwards we went back to Mackessack Park and there were fans waiting to greet us, but I don’t remember too much about it after that.
“Winning with Brora was excellent as well and we enjoyed ourselves after that as well.”
Cattachs look for silver lining
Reflecting on Brora’s season up to now, Sutherland has been reasonably happy.
The Cattachs are sitting ninth in the table, but have played the joint-fewest number of games.
Brora have also reached the fourth round of the Scottish Cup, while their North of Scotland Cup defence was ended by Ross County in the semi-final.
Sutherland added: “It’s been a pretty good season up to now, a couple of the games where we’ve dropped points in the league have been disappointing.
“That gives us a challenge for later in the season in the league. We need to prove we can win our games and compete for the league.
“If we could win the cup it would put a different slant on the season.
“We were disappointed to be knocked out of the North of Scotland Cup by Ross County in the semi-final.
“Aside from the Scottish Cup this is the last cup for us this season so hopefully we can win it and try to kick on.
“It’s always a tough game when you play Fraserburgh, we know what their threats are and we’ll be right up for it.”
