Stewart Petrie is determined Montrose will beat Annan this afternoon and make it through to the fourth round of the Scottish Cup for the first time for nearly eight years.
The Gable Endies’ recent record in the competition has certainly not been one to write home about.
However, the manager is determined that will change this season and he hopes Montrose will be in the hat along with the big guns from the Premiership and Championship when the draw is made at Hampden later this evening.
Petrie said: “The cup is vitally important.
“Speaking to the chairman, John Crawford, he was saying the 2010/11 season was the last time Montrose reached the round where the Premiership clubs come in so it is an absolutely massive day for us, there is no question of that.
“It would be great to get through into the draw.
“But we are certainly not kidding ourselves as we had four games against Annan last season and they were all very difficult and competitive.
“So this one will be no different.
“We have had a report compiled on Annan and we have done our due diligence on them.
“But we will go into the game with confidence. We are at home and we look to win all games at Links Park whether they are league ones or cup ties.
“We don’t need to tell the boys they have to be up for it as that goes without saying.
“But they know they will have a tough afternoon against Annan.”
Petrie will be without two players through injury for the cup tie.
He added: “Graham Webster will miss out again with his ankle injury.
“Matty Allan will be out for a few weeks now as his knee problem has flared up once more.
“So we need to get to the bottom of that for him.”
