Stirling Albion manager Kevin Rutkiewicz is looking forward to the challenge of four tough games in the group stage of the Premier Sports Cup.
The Binos begin their Group A fixtures against Cove Rangers at Balmoral Stadium tomorrow then travel north again next weekend to face Billy Dodds’ Inverness CT side.
Hearts visit Forthbank on Tuesday, July 20 and Albion host Peterhead in their final match in the section four days later.
All four ties will be played in front of spectators, with up to 500 home fans at Cove tomorrow, a maximum of 1,000 home fans at Inverness and season ticket holders only permitted at Forthbank.
The group stage begins this evening, with Kelty Hearts v Dundee United live on Premier Sports and concludes on the weekend of July 24/25. The eight group winners and three best runners-up will join Rangers, Celtic, Hibs, Aberdeen and holders St Johnstone in the last 16.
Rutkiewicz hopes his side can be competitive in what is a strong section but insists League Two is the priority, with the opening game at Stenhousemuir on July 31 fast approaching.
He said: “It’s going to be a tough couple of weeks with some very difficult games but it will be a very good test – we will certainly be able to work on our shape off the ball given some of the opponents we will be facing.
“I don’t think we could have got it much tougher but to be playing the likes of Hearts is great for the players.
“The most important thing is that we arrive in a good place for the start of the league campaign and these games give us the chance to iron out any creases and work on set-pieces and the
like.
“We hope to come through it without any injuries. Kyle Banner had an ankle problem and we just need to be careful with him but Adam Cummins got half an hour against Bo’ness last week.
“Paul McLean got his first 90 minutes since December and I thought Jack Leitch was outstanding – he was running on empty at the end of last season then had a groin injury but he was back to his best.
“The 3-2 defeat didn’t concern me. We played well for the most part and created loads of chances but we know we need to be more ruthless and the goals we conceded were poor.
“It’s a tough one to start against a Cove team who made the League One play-offs last season and Paul Hartley has signed some Premiership-quality players this
summer.
“It’s up to us to try to find a way to hurt them and the boys are all buzzing to get started again.”
