Excitement builds for Broxburn Athletic as they prepare to make Scottish Cup bow

Broxburn Athletic make their bow in the Scottish Cup. Pic: TSPL

The Albyn Park men host Calum Elliot’s Tynecastle in their first-ever Scottish Cup encounter under their current guise, with their last fixture – when known as Broxburn United – in the competition coming back in 1926 when they were edged out in a replay by Hibs after a 1-1 draw in the original tie.

Entry into this season’s competition came as a result of the club achieving SFA membership status in May and McNaughton believes it is just reward for the hard-working members of their committee who grafted tirelessly to meet the entry-level requirements.

“This game is as a result of all the hard work the committee put in last year so it is very much for them as well,” said McNaughton, who was part of the Hearts squad who lost to Aberdeen in the 1986 Scottish Cup final.

“Hopefully we can go out there and put in a performance to get through to the next round, but it will be difficult because they have had some good results in pre-season and good results to the start of their league.

“It is going to be a new adventure for most of the boys, but we are just treating it like any other game, though. We just need to be a in a good place and hopefully we can start the way we have started the season. We were really good in the first game on Saturday [against Camelon] and should have been in the lead, but showed great character to come back twice. Hopefully against Tynecastle we can score first.”

Broxburn haven’t added to their squad at all over the summer after winning last season’s East of Scotland Conference C. McNaughton was keen to make signings, but players they have approached have chosen other options.

He is content, however, that they are equipped to handle the demands of this season – and a potential Scottish Cup run should they navigate their way past Tynie.

McNaughton added: “It’s been a kind of frustrating summer due to the fact we haven’t been able to get anybody in. However, everyone has signed again and it is the same squad which won our Conference last year. I think the players were more interested in hoping someone would come in but it didn’t happen. It doesn’t really bother me, to be honest. We are still looking and if something comes up we will be on the back of it.”

Elsewhere, Easthouses Lily host Penicuik Athletic in a Scottish Cup Midlothian derby after they were both awarded SFA licences at the end of last season.

Linlithgow Rose take on Preston Athletic at Prestonfield in a repeat of last year’s Preliminary round two tie which Rose won 2-0.

Whitehill Welfare are on the road as they face Scottish Amateur Cup holders Colville Park in Motherwell, while Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale host South of Scotland outfit Wigtown and Bladnoch.