There’s a trio of all top flight clashes in the second round of the Quest Engineering Cup with all three extremely difficult to predict.
At Glenury Park, Stonehaven host Dyce and home manager Martyn Rollo is expecting a tricky encounter.
He said: “We’re looking forward to it and they play good football.
“Games with Dyce are always tight and we’re anticipating a difficult match.
“Our last match, when we lost at home to Maud, was disappointing both in terms of the performance and the result and we’ll need to be a lot better and, while we did have players missing, that is absolutely no excuse.”
In the opposite camp, Alfie Youngson knows it will a tough afternoon.
He said: “They’ve had a good season and have strengthen their squad well but at the start of the season, we looked at the cups being our best chance of success given we finished more than 20 points behind Culter last season.
“That said, we’re the only undefeated side in the league, so there’s positives to take and being docked the six points is obviously a blow, these things happen in football.
“I was part of the Culter team that was reinstated to the Scottish Cup when Spartans fielded an ineligible player so I’ve experienced both sides.
“It certainly won’t change our approach to matches that’s for sure.”
Youngson has been impressed with on loan signing from Turriff United Fergus Alberts, who scored a brace on his debut.
He said: “He’s a player we tried to get hold of on a few occasions and we’ve been delighted with him, he trains really well and works extremely hard on his game, he’ll do well for us.”
Stonehaven welcome the return of Adam McLennan and Lewis Kidd although Cameron Beattie misses out while Dyce will be without long term injury absentees Nikolas Wozniak and Gui Barbosa.
Sunnybank host Ellon United
In the other ties, Heathryfold is the venue for Sunnybank versus Ellon United with the hosts looking to avenge the narrow league loss at The Meadows a fortnight ago while at Lochside Park, Hermes will start as favourites against a Maud side that won well at Stonehaven in their last outing.
In the McBookie.com Premier League, Culter have the opportunity to go level on points with Hermes at the top of the table when they travel to bottom markers Stoneywood Parkvale while Bridge of Don Thistle will leapfrog Sunnybank into fourth with three points at Newmachar United.
East End face Colony Park at New Advocates Park with Buchanhaven Hearts meeting Fraserburgh United in the derby at Raemoss Park and Rothie Rovers on the road at Nairn St Ninian.
Championship leaders Banks o’ Dee JFC are at Spain Park against Deveronside while challengers Islavale go to Cruden Bay and Burghead Thistle welcome Banchory St Ternan at Forest Park.
Hall Russell United are on the road at Longside, having been narrowly knocked out of the Elginshire Cup at home by the Davidson Park outfit a couple of weeks ago, Dufftown make the journey to Lossiemouth United, New Elgin entertain Glentanar and Forres Thistle are away to Whitehills with all matches kicking off at 1.30pm.
