Either Lossiemouth or Spartans will be in the third round draw of the Tennents Scottish Cup come quarter to five on Saturday evening and if Lossie can overcome what have been a difficult couple of weeks for them what with them losing their manager Jim Walker and 13 goals in just two games a few drinks might be had down Grant Park way.

Goalkeeper Steve Dunn and Lossie secretary Alan McIntosh have been looking forward to the visit of the East of Scotland side who have played Highland League opposition before in the shape of Buckie Thistle and Deveronvale in the past four seasons since Berwick were beaten one nil a couple of weeks ago. Manager Micky Lawson who masterminded that shock victory will have his side well prepared though and both Steve and Alan know that a tough 90 minutes ensues especially as so many of their players are new to the Scottish Cup scene. Firstly "Dunner" on the "Coasters" hopes.

BB - Scottish Cup days are special occasions for the players and I would expect you to feel the same Steve.
SD - Definitely as they don't come around very often. It will be a very difficult tie though and to be honest we did expect to be facing Berwick Rangers as they were the Scottish League Cup and we even had them watched. We know Spartans will be a different kettle of fish to Berwick and we have to make home advantage count so the ball is in our court and we will prepare properly for the tie. What I will say though is that hopefully the folks of Lossiemouth will come out and support us and create an atmosphere.

BB - Are you disappointed that Jim Walker is not going to be at the helm for the tie.
SD - Of course we are as we feel we let him down with our league form. If we can get a result it will be for him. Our form in the cups so far this season has in the main been fine but as our last couple of performances in the league show we really need to sort things out.

BB - What would it mean to the club and yourself if could come up trumps.
SD - For a start we would be in the third round of the Scottish Cup and in with the big clubs and if luck was to be on our side we could get a trip to Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen and what a prospect that would be. We are not looking any further forward than the game against Spartans though as that is what we have to focus on.

McIntosh who is of course also Scot Ads Highland League President is looking for his side to keep the North flag flying and feels that with Spartans coming from a league that is similar in standard to the Highland one Lossie have nothing to fear.

He continued "This is the first time that the club have been in the Scottish Cup since 1998 when we lost by a single goal to Dumbarton at home. The season before that we lost to Forfar 3-1 so hopefully we are due a break and can get a result.

"With Spartans coming here we are expecting a bigger crowd and with Elgin also going out in the previous round perhaps we will have a bigger support to call on from our area. Tennents have been in contact to say that they are taking a number of guests to the game and if need be we can use the adjoining portacabin to provide extra hospitality areas. It would also be amazing if the TV cameras decided that this was a game they wished to cover".

Kick off at Grant Park on Saturday is 3pm and Dunn who is in his third season with Lossie after also having spells in the Highland League with Elgin Rothes and Nairn will be a pivotal piece of the action and will have to use his vocal presence on the pitch to organise the defence.

Now if he could repeat a goalscoring feat he achieved at Wick a couple of years ago when he netted with an eighty yard punt that would put the icing on the cake or do we leave that to Lorna (Alan's wife) with her home bakes.

Good luck also to all Locos at Stirling who need to have all their big players back to challenge Stirling Albion and Cove who I feel have a mountain to climb when they visit Raydale Park in Gretna. Nobody wanted that draw.