Kayne Paterson wants Tranent to keep producing cup shocks

Kayne Paterson, left, is in a rich vein of form for Tranent. Pic: TSPL

The Foresters Park men secured a famous cup double in the Junior game during season 2016-17, winning both the Fife and Lothians and East of Scotland cups. Last season they reached the East of Scotland Cup final in their last as a Junior club only to lose out to Penicuik Athletic, who denied them back-to-back cup wins.

Paterson, who has started the new campaign in fine form – netting 14 goals already – is confident they can continue to enjoy success in cup competitions, having knocked out a host of other clubs as underdogs, but reckons they have now developed the knack of winning games which they are expected to.

“A lot of people say we are a cup team; we’ve been to three finals in the past two seasons and we always seem to beat these big teams like Linlithgow and Bonnyrigg in the cup,” said Paterson ahead of Max Christie’s men hosting Linlithgow in the South Region Challenge Cup tomorrow.

“I’m not sure if it’s just because when we play the bigger sort of teams we can get ourselves up for it better and when we played the so-called lesser teams, we sort of maybe go through the motions some weeks, but I think this year that has changed. We are going out every week now and we’re just concentrating on what is in front of us. We’ve been going out and thrashing most teams, doing really well and been scoring goals.

“The whole club is just buzzing at the moment. Everything [at the ground] looks brilliant, the committee have done a great job at the boys are just thriving off it. We’re playing some good stuff, and bar the Bonnyrigg game – where they destroyed us – since then everyone has been brilliant and we’ve just all been playing for each other and been flying.

“To when I signed two seasons ago to now, it’s like a completely different. The work they have done is just amazing, the place looks unbelievable. They are now putting in disabled toilets and disabled viewing and floodlights are getting installed too, it’s just a great place to be. The committee are up working there most nights after their own work. It’s all towards getting our licence and getting into the Scottish Cup, which is the big aim for the club.”

Linlithgow hold no fear for Tranent, with the Tranent having gone to Prestonfield, in Rose’s own backyard last season, and won on penalties in the East of Scotland Cup.

Paterson is especially confident if their third-round tie goes to penalty kicks, given their incredible recent record, he continued: “We are quietly confident, they will be favourites as they are a huge club and they’ve been doing well; I think they’ve been winning most of their games recently as well. One thing is for sure, we’ll be going out to win the game and we’ll be pretty confident we can go and beat them like we did last season in the quarter-final.

“We went 2-0 up then they scored two in the last ten or 15 minutes, then we beat them on penalties. When they pegged us back, we thought they had the momentum and would go on to win the game. It was a great feeling to go there during the week and to beat them. It’s something the boys have been used to over the past couple of years – getting to finals.

“If any teams takes us to penalties, they may as well just give us the tie, because I think we’ve won our last eight penalty shootouts or something.”