BRECHIN BREATHE a sigh of relief tonight when the handful of key players, unavailable for the start of the season on Saturday, are available for the CIS Cup visit of Stirling Albion.

Back in contention are John Ward, Scott Walker, Davie White and Stuart Callaghan.

If Ward plays, it will be for the cup game only since he still has a one-match suspension to serve in league competition.

Keeper Craig Nelson is also in the frame tonight although his sending-off against Queen’s Park on Saturday means he, too, is suspended from Saturday’s home match against Peterhead.

Manager Michael O’Neill has added Grant McNicoll to his squad.

The 31-year-old former Berwick Rangers captain, who was released at the end of last season, has signed a short-term contract.

He has missed training so is unlikely to make anything but the briefest of appearances tonight, if at all.

Definitely out is the injured Gary Fusco.

Albion skipper Chris Aitken and striker Colin Cramb will return from suspension.

Both missed out on Saturday’s 1-1 First Division draw against Partick Thistle at Forthbank, although Cramb is sidelined for Albion’s next two league games against St Johnstone and Morton.

Manager Allan Moore said, “I think we will surprise a few people with the freshness and eagerness in our team.

“We are still a wee bit short on players and hope to add a couple, although I was pleased to get a point at the weekend after going 1-0 down.”

Moore is hoping his men do better than at the same stage of the competition last season, when they surprisingly went down 3-0 to Dumbarton.

He will again run the rule over Paul Murphy tonight, with a view to signing the trialist midfielder.

The 22-year-old is a free agent after his release from Stenhousemuir and impressed in Saturday’s draw with Partick.