Montrose boss Stewart Petrie believes his players will revel in the role of underdogs when they face Partick Thistle in the Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Cup tie at Links Park this afternoon.
The Gable Endies will approach the game on the back of a three-match losing streak with the latest defeat coming at the same venue last week when they lost 2-1 to Dumbarton.
Petrie was scathing in his assessment of the display in the first half against the Sons but he is expecting his players to bounce back strongly against Championship opposition in the cup.
The manager said: “The first half last week certainly wasn’t acceptable.
“There is no other way of dressing it up. That wasn’t the Montrose we know.
“The second half was better and we got about it with a bit of urgency but by that time we were 2-0 down and just left ourselves with too much to do within the game.
“But it is certainly not a case of feeling sorry for ourselves.
“We just need to work harder and we are certainly not going to panic.”
Petrie added: “The Partick game is a great one for us as it is a tie we are expected to lose so from that point of view you go in as underdogs.
“We will certainly be going and giving it our best shot.
“But it is an exciting tie and there should be a decent crowd as well with Partick bringing a few fans through.
“We are just looking forward to seeing if we can cause them a few issues and then we will see what happens.
“It is a cup game and you want to progress as far as you can in any cup so this one is no different.
“We will be putting out as strong a side as we can, that’s for sure.”
Petrie is hoping to bring in two unnamed players on loan next week with his squad stretched due to injuries and the departure of Paddy Cregg who has left Montrose to take up the post of assistant manager at Irish Premier Division outfit St Patrick’s Athletic FC.
Petrie added: I am delighted for Paddy. It has been a pleasure to work with him over the 15 months or so he has been at the club.
“It is a fantastic opportunity for him and we are not a club who stands in the way of people progressing into management in what is a full-time positon.
“I am gutted he is leaving because he has been a huge player for us but he goes with our best wishes.”
Andrew Steeves and Terry Masson are still out injured for Montrose but Paul Watson and Craig Johnston might be named as subs.
