ONLY PERFECTION WILL DO FOR PAUL

PAUL EXPECTS HIS PLAYERS TO WANT IT MORE

It’s the minutiae, the little things, that gets under Benburb manager Paul Lovering’s skin and makes his touchline deportment appear Tasmanian Devil-like most Saturday afternoons.

When he’s not out on the touchline overseeing his Bens side in action, the former Airdrie playing legend comes across as a laid back, calm and willing to listen to reason character however all it takes is the blast of a Referee’s whistle for a metamorphosis to occur

Lovers becomes an out and out perfectionist and will often give vent to his innermost frustrations loudly or through gesticulation should any of his playing charges err defensively, misplace a pass or make a hash of a scoring opportunity .

And heaven forbid should the whistle holding man in the middle blow for a decision in favour of the opposition even when making one of those calls that could easily have gone either way?

Paul’s belief there is always room for improvement and that things can always be better is not shared by everyone yet try finding a Bens supporter who doesn’t think the famous old Govan outfit’s best ever season in decades (they currently sit joint second top in the Premier Division standings) is attributable to some extent by the brimming over with passion demeanour of their team’s manager?

Lovers will again be extolling his troops to be up for it tomorrow oday when Benburb host the visit of top flight rivals Arthurlie in what is the undoubted pick of a handful of Scottish Junior Cup fourth round clashes taking place.

The stakes are high not least because the prize awaiting the eventual Tinto Park winners of an anything but daunting Quarter Final clash on the road against whosoever comes out on top in the only North Region staged tie between lower division pair Rothie Rovers and Bellshill Athletic is a prospect that has Bens supporters dreaming of going all the way to the Final again as they last did all of 44 years ago when beaten 2-0 by Bailleston in a 1979/80 replay following a 2-2 first game draw.

Lovering is well aware the Barrhead side came good by a 2-1 scoreline when the teams met on WoSFL league business back in early August but a further and arguably greater concern for him is the fact all of three weeks have elapsed since his charges last played competitively (due to weather ) in bringing the curtain down on a four match unbeaten run with a highly impressive 3-0 victory over Hurlford United.

The Bens boss will doubtless be as demanding as ever in wanting his side to start off where they finished but yet another headache he faces , albeit of a more congenial sort , is caused by his acquisition of experienced defender Jordan Allan during this enforced period of inactivity .

The tough tackling and erstwhile Pollok and Darvel full back’s non-cup tied status leaves him available for selection so Lovers has to decide whether or not to throw him in at the proverbial deep end for what has all the makings of an unnerving debut appearance.

Arthurlie’s own form book by way of comparison does not make for good reading as three league defeats on the spin to Cumnock, Darvel and Gartcairn have dropped them down into the relegation basement and dented confidence despite team boss Colin Reilly attempting to add depth to his playing hand with the recent arrivals of goalkeeper Graham Black(Johnstone Burgh) , Jordan Duncan (Vale of Clyde) and Kyle McAllum (Albion Rovers).

A STIFF CUP TEST AWAITS COLIN AND ARTHURLIE ?

Reilly is not the type of gaffer who relies on getting lucky on the day yet one can imagine him regarding this welcome break from the pursuit of league points as just what’s needed to help Messrs Lee Roulston, Dylan Dykes, Bryan Wharton and Connor Bolger get back to their playing best .

But going up against an in-form Benburb in their own backyard is no easy matter and most pundits are of the mind that it’s going to take nothing less than a repeat…or better… of last month’s stirring display when they knocked out the beaten Junior Cup beaten finalists from last time out, Rutherglen Glencairn.

Meanwhile ,their long and onerous trip North to the remote Aberdeenshire outpost of Rothienorman holds no fears for a Bellshill Athletic side currently five points clear atop the WoSFL Third Division standings and determined to get back on the winning trail after last weekend’s 4-3 reverse at home to Lanark United put an end to a run of seven victories on the trot.

Elsewhere ,it’s hard to see past Darvel overcoming minnows Larkhall Thistle at Recreation Park particularly as painful memories of shock Cup exits earlier this season against Gretna 2008 and Bo’ness United will be harnessed by Tony McInally to motivate his players.

Another of the WoSFL lesser lights Caledonian Locomotives are thought unlikely to trouble Hurlford United at nearby Blair Park while Auchinleck Talbot’s hopes of delivering an astonishing 15^th trophy win (an 8th under the tutelage of Tommy Sloan) will not be frustrated by their visit to Millburn Park to face Vale of Leven.

Away from the Cup, the absence of outstanding marksman Ciaran Diver from reigning Premier Division champions Beith’s starting line-up in recent weeks has hardly caused his manager Chris Strain to have sleepless nights.

He has a wealth of other attacking riches at his beck and call in Andy Monk, Carlo Monti, Aaron Mason and latest recruit Alan Docherty but nevertheless has come out to pour cold water on growing conjecture about Diver’s future that has apparently set the hawks of ambitious suitors Gartcairn and Johnstone Burgh among others, circling around Bellsdale.

The 23 year old is enjoying a remarkable season in front of goal and has an impressive 23 goals return to his name , his latest score notched on Wednesday night when he came off the bench to bag the winning goal in a hard fought 2-1 victory away to Gartcairn that moved the Ayrshiremen up to joint second place in the top flight table, fully six points behind leaders Clydebank but from four games fewer played.

Beith had earlier got their noses in front through an Andy Monk effort but Kamil Krol ‘s equalizer looked to have earned a share of the spoils for the home side until a sublime Diver finish that Strainy was still salivating over earlier.

“Ciaran’s currency is goals and very few strikers at Junior level or for that matter the Divisions above could have scored a goal of such quality” purred the Beith boss .”

23 GOALS AND COUNTING FOR SCORING ACE CIARAN

“ A lot of people thought we would struggle to replace Josh Fowler after he moved to Gulf United but Ciaran has shown himself to be a better finisher and has more than filled his boots and nobody but nobody can argue with his scoring record to date.”

Strainy’s lavish praise for the one-time Celtic signing begs the question as to why he was confined to the substitutes bench in midweek in the wake of being afforded only the closing ten minutes (Yes he found the target again) of last Saturday’s 7-3 hammering of Glasgow United.

Strain fresh from offloading busy midfielder Blair Rossiter to Johnstone Burgh this month revealed , “Ciaran had to undergo surgery over a mouth problem recently which caused him to visibly lose weight along with not being able to train and we had the feeling he was a bit below par .

“Having so many other striker options made it an easy call to then let him sit out a few games but for the record let me say he’s now back looking better for taking a rest and his eye for a goal is arguably sharper than ever .

“He’s different class and very much part of our plans so interested teams would be wasting their time inquiring if he’s available …because he’s not.”

Beith make the short hop to Meadow Park tomorrow and are strongly fancied to pick up the three points on offer against the Premier Division’s bottom markers Irvine Meadow whose dugout will be occupied by their fifth manager in the past 14 months , former player Ben Carson, whose appointment comes hard on heels of Martin Ferry and assistant Des Roache tendering their resignations.

PLAYING TOMORROW: (Kick Offs 1.30 PM unless stated) :

CLYDEBUILT HOME IMPROVEMENTS Scottish Junior Cup.Fourth Round.Benburb v Arthurlie, Rothie Rovers v Bellshill Athletic, Darvel v Larkhall Thistle,Vale of Leven v Auchinleck Talbot, Hurlford Utd v Caledonian Locomotive. INDIGO COMMS West of Scotland Cup.Third Round.Forth Wanderers v Kilsyth Athletic.P.D.M HUWS GRAY Premier Division. Largs Thistle v Troon, Cumnock v St Cadocs, Glenafton v Clydebank, Irvine Meadow v Beith, Rob Roy v Pollok. P.D.M HUWS GRAYFirst Division. Kilwinning Rangers v Renfrew, Rutherglen Glencairn v Drumchapel Utd, Kilbirnie Ladeside v Blantyre Vics, Neilston v Shotts Bon Accord, Johnstone Burgh v Whitletts Vics, St Rochs v Cambuslang Rangers, Ashfield v Petershill.PDM HUWS GRAY Second Division. Bonnyton Thistle v Kilsyth Rangers, Wishaw v St Anthonys, Glasgow University v Cumbernauld Utd (Friday 8PM), Muirkirk v Maryhill, Glasgow Perthshire v Ardrossan Winton Rovers, Yoker Athletic v Vale of Clyde.PDM HUWS GRAYThird Division. Kello Rovers v West Park Utd, Glasgow Utd v Port Glasgow, Ardeer Thistle v Threave Rovers, Dalry Thistle v Lesmahagow, Girvan v Lanark Utd, Irvine Vics v Greenock. PDM HUWS GRAYFourth Division. East Kilbride Thistle v BSC Glasgow, St Peters v Easterhouse, Rossvale v Royal Albert, Lugar Boswell v Threave Rovers, Glenvale v Eglinton, Giffnock SC v Saltcoats Vics,Carluke Rovers v Knightswood.