Inverness side will be shown 'utmost respect' as holders Wick Groats get players back from injury
Wick Groats manager Kevin Anderson says his team will be treating IRN Security with "the utmost respect" in Saturday's Highland Amateur Cup quarter-final at Ardersier.
Anderson admits he has limited knowledge of their Inverness and District Amateur Football Association Premier Division opponents but is pleased that some members of his squad are starting to return from injury.
Groats are the holders, having won the trophy in 2019 for the fourth time in seven years. They beat Staxigoe United 2-1 in the third round.
Anderson's men go into the tie having hit 11 goals without reply at John O'Groats in a Caithness AFA Division One fixture on Tuesday. That was the Wick side's fourth match in nine days.
Looking ahead to Saturday's tie, Anderson said: "A couple of our boys know a few of their players from the North Caledonian League, so we've been getting bits of feedback. But I know very little about them, bar that they must be not a bad team by the time they are still in the competition in the quarter-finals.
"We'll show them the utmost respect, but we'll be going down there with a strong squad and hopefully we can start hitting a bit of form at a good stage of the season."
Graham MacNab kept up his prolific scoring streak with four goals at Folke Park, with the others coming from Steven Anderson (2), Grant MacNab (2), Stewart Atkins, Cameron Mackintosh and Alan Mathieson.
Manager Anderson said: "We've been playing in fits and starts. Against Staxigoe [a 5-0 win in the league last month] we played really well for the full duration but it's only a couple of times this season that we've hit the levels we have done in years gone by.
"We were relentless, the quality was good and they were really good team goals. Graham is scoring for fun.
"John O'Groats kept battling away to the end but unfortunately for them they just caught us on a good night.
"We were a joy to watch. We're starting to get a few guys back from injury and that makes a difference in getting a bit of continuity into the team.
"I had 10 players back from Saturday [the Eain Mackintosh Cup win at Castletown] and I think that showed in the performance."
The Steven Cup for Caithness AFA Division Two clubs got under way on Monday with Keiss winning 2-1 at Watten in the first leg of their quarter-final tie.
Results – Eain Mackintosh Cup, semi-finals: Castletown 1, Wick Groats 2; Staxigoe United 1, Pentland United 4. Steven Cup, quarter-final, first leg: Watten 1, Keiss 2.
Division One: John O'Groats 0, Wick Groats 11; Pentland United 5, Acks 0; Staxigoe United 2, High Ormlie Hotspur 1; Wick Thistle 2, Lybster 3.
Division Two: Castletown 2, Swifts 0; Keiss 4, Top Joe's 0; Pentland 2, Watten 3.
Saturday – Highland Amateur Cup, quarter-finals: Golspie Stafford v High Ormlie Hotspur (3pm); IRN Security v Wick Groats (3pm, Ardersier); Ness v Avoch (3pm); Stromness Athletic v Pentland United (noon).
Ken Green Challenge Cup: Wick Academy v Orkney (2.15pm, free entry).
Monday – Steven Cup, quarter-finals: Top Joe's v Castletown (first leg); Keiss v Watten (second leg, 7.15pm).
Tuesday – Division One: Acks v Wick Thistle; High Ormlie Hotspur v Lybster; John OGroats v Staxigoe United; Wick Groats v Pentland United (7.30pm).