Strathspey Thistle boss feels no pressure ahead of 'huge' Harlaw Park test
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Strathspey Thistle's weekend's trip to Inverurie should provide boss Robert MacCormack with a real indication of what his side are capable of achieving in the Highland League the season.
It hasn't been without a wait. Last Saturday’s highly anticipated match with Wick had to be postponed with the visitors unable to make it after the closure of the A9 – and last week the Jags confirmed that their meeting with Lossiemouth, originally scheduled for Wednesday night, had been moved to Saturday October 28.
The Grantown club will now travel to Harlaw Park this weekend.
Inverurie Locos have earned just one point this season – a stunning statistic for the Highland football follower to take in. The Harlaw Park side have challenged among the top sides in the Highland League for the past 22 years, never having finished below 10th place in the table.
But this season, they are a side in transition – and heading into October they sit second bottom of the Highland League table, and knocked out of the Highland League Cup at the quarter-final stage. They are also currently on a four game spell without scoring a single goal.
On September 19, the Aberdeenshire club announced that they had parted ways with their manager, Andy Low.
Indeed, things could not get any worse for Railwaymen – or, could they?
The one club below Locos in the table is bottom placed Strathspey Thistle. With zero points on the board, Robert MacCormack's team have fluttered with improvement, and even beat fellow bottom-half contenders Lossiemouth in a cup tie – but the numbers have a familiar ring to them.
Facing the prospect of a head-to-head with their closest league rivals, MacCormack sees this weekend as the perfect time for the tide to turn.
He said: "Saturday's game is huge. They will be looking at a game against us as a chance to kickstart their season, but it is vitally important in this game on Saturday that we take something out of the game. We will go to Inverurie looking to win it, there's no doubt about that, but we have to give ourselves the best opportunity. We have played well in some games this season, but there are other games where we have let ourselves down."
With 16th placed Clachnacuddin joining Locos in parting ways with their manager, Jordan MacDonald, this past week, MacCormack is acutely aware that the stakes are high when it comes to avoiding the Highland League's "trap door" spot.
MacCormack added: "It is never nice to hear of anyone losing their job, but football is a results based business and I know that results have got to come. But I don't feel under any pressure – I truly believe we are moving in the right direction. We know what games we are expected to go out and win and get something from. We have had a difficult opening few games, but the next few weeks are massive for us, and getting a win on Saturday would be a brilliant start."
The manager expects to travel with a strong squad for the game, albeit without the injured James McShane and goalkeepers Ruaridh Nicol (injury) and Steven Martin (work). Liam Grant also faces a late fitness test.
