James Wallace insists Brora Rangers still believe they can reach the pyramid play-off final.
The Breedon Highland League champions are trailing East Kilbride 4-1 in the play-off semi-final following last weekend’s first leg at K Park.
However, ahead of Saturday’s return at Dudgeon Park, Wallace revealed the Cattachs still have confidence as they aim to mount a comeback.
The 24-year-old felt Brora didn’t hit their usual heights last weekend and knows if they are to have any chance of overturning their three-goal deficit a much-improved display is needed.
Wallace said: “We need to do the opposite to last weekend, we need to be aggressive and on the front foot from the start.
“We need to score at least three goals so the only way we can approach it is to go for it from the off.
“As a group we feel we’re better than what we showed last Saturday and we believe we’re capable of overturning the deficit.
“Probably 90% or 95% of people looking at the tie will think it’s done.
“But we’ve got the belief in our changing room given the season we’ve had that we can turn things around.
“However, it’s going to take a monumental effort, but if we’re all at it on the day then we are capable.
“During this season we’ve had a few setbacks and we’ve always managed to respond well to them.
“So it’s a case of doing that again, there’s no pressure on us given the scoreline so we have to give it our best shot and you never know what can happen in football.”
Firepower required
Firepower in attack generally hasn’t been an issue for Brora this season. In 49 matches across all competitions this term the Sutherland club have scored 149 goals.
As a minimum they need to score three times on Saturday and Wallace is hopeful they have the threats to do that.
If Brora are unable to win the tie and progress to face Bonnyrigg Rose or Forfar Athletic, Wallace hopes they can at least end what has been a memorable campaign in positive fashion.
The Cattachs won the treble of the Highland League, R Davidson (Banchory) Highland League Cup and North of Scotland Cup for the first time in their history this season.
Wallace added: “Over the course of the season we’ve scored a lot of goals and a lot of players have chipped in with goals.
“Whatever way they come, if we were to score a few goals on Saturday, we’d take them.
“We need to restore a bit of a pride, we’ve had such a good season.
“But if it was to fizzle out with a poor performance on Saturday that would put a dampener on the end of the season.
“If we don’t end up winning the tie, we need to at least give a good account of ourselves and show we can compete with sides like East Kilbride.”
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