East Kilbride interim boss Chris Aitken won’t underestimate Larkhall Thistle as he sets his sights on winning the South of Scotland Challenge Cup.
Kilby head into a second-round clash at their West of Scotland League Conference C opponents on Saturday and Aitken says a shock 3-2 Lowland League defeat at home to Edinburgh Uni 10 days ago means there’s no chance they’ll take it lightly.
Aitken’s side go into the clash on the back of a 3-0 win at Stirling Uni, while Larkhall beat East Kilbride Thistle 3-2 at the weekend, so the gaffer says Kilby will be going into the clash with full respect for Brian Crawford’s men.
He said: “We saw what happens when you underestimate a team last Saturday when we got beat off Edinburgh Uni, so it’s important that we don’t do that this weekend.
“We’ll give them all the respect they are due, but the next two games are important – at the end of the day there’s a cup to be played for, so anything can happen.
“We need to make sure we’re prepared and ready and that starts next week against Larkhall.”
Following Saturday’s clash, East Kilbride host Stirling Uni in the Scottish Cup, and Aitken says they’re two very different, but equally important, challenges.
“We want to go as far as we can,” said Aitken.
“They’re two totally different cups; the South Challenge Cup is a competition we want to go as far as we can in, and try and win it.
“The following week it’s the Scottish Cup, so you just need to try and get into the hat, maybe get a big team in the next round, and make some money for the club.
“It’s a couple of different scenarios but starting next Saturday, it’s one that we need to go and be professional about, do the job, and there’s a cup up for grabs.
“We want to win the cup, so it’s important that we prepare right and put a team out that can go and do that for us.”
Meanwhile, Aitken says he has spoken to club chiefs about taking the manager’s role permanently and has been given encouraging signs.
He said: “I had a good chat with the club on Thursday about it, and all I need to do is keep winning games of football – if I do that I’m pretty sure it will be done and dusted, and sooner rather than later.
“As for now, I’m absolutely loving being the manager and trying to take the club forward, so if we keep winning games I think it will all get sorted.
“It would give me peace of mind, that’s one of the things we spoke about on Thursday night, but it’s not just for me, for the players as well – it lets them know what direction we’re going in.
“But the club see how I’m working, so hopefully we just keep winning games, and if that’s rubbing off on the players then everybody will be happy.”
Follow Lanarkshire Live Sport on Twitter via @LanLiveSport, like us on Facebook or find us on Instagram for the latest sports news, pictures and video.
