‘It’s a cup we need to qualify from’ - manager prepares for crucial cup double header

A break from a sticky league run and a chance to progress in the cup.

Elgin City will lick their wounds from Saturday’s stunning home loss to Stranraer and target a winning return to the KDM Evolution Trophy tonight (Tuesday).

Dundee’s B team arrive at Borough Briggs having lost all three of their matches in the league stage of the competition.

City have two wins against Highland League Clach and Fraserburgh and one defeat against Ross County, and are in good position to qualify for the knockout stages.

It will give manager Stefan Laird time to assess what went wrong in the 5-1 defeat at the weekend, and iron things ouit in time for the next league clash a week on Saturday at home to leaders Clyde.

Laird insists he wants positive results against Dundee and at Peterhead on Saturday in the same cup to give his team a good chance of going through.

“We’re playing the cup game and its a game that you want,” he said. “It’s a cup that we need to qualify from the group.

“You’ve got to shake it off and move on.”

The top 22 teams from the 40-club league stages make it through to the last-32, when the Championship sides enter the tournament.

Elgin currently sit 12th and will be expected to beat the Dundee youngsters, but then visit League 1 Peterhead who currently have a 100 per cent record in the competition.

Then the final group match for Elgin is at home to Aberdeen B, who are above them in the table and unbeaten after surprising League 1 Ross County in their last outing.

Elgin have also given their players a Christmas break by bringing forward their Boxing Day fixture at home to Forfar Athletic to Tuesday December 23.

Stefan Laird: I'm we're playing the cup game, so it's a game in a new one. Um you know there'll there'll be changes going into the cup game. We'll get we done the in Tuesday we'll get our head on um on Saturday. So um it's a cup that we need to qualify from the group for. So yeah you know we'll shake it off and and move on. You know there's no time for feeling sorry for yourself in in football. You take your medicine, you look yourself in the mirror, you get back on the back on the horse and you go and win the next game. That's what

[00:23] Stefan Laird: it takes to to win football matches.