Dunbar United, Musselburgh Athletic and Preston Athletic ready for Scottish Cup

The draw for this year’s tournament took place last Thursday, with Haddington Athletic and Tranent Juniors receiving byes into the first round.

The remaining three East Lothian teams involved must overcome tough opposition in the preliminary round.

Dunbar United’s debut in Scotland’s top cup competition will come at New Countess Park when they welcome Broxburn Athletic.

The two sides met on the second day of the season when Kevin Haynes’ team emerged 2-1 winners.

Dunbar (black and white) lost out at home to Camelon. Picture: Gordon Maitland

The manager said: “It is a good draw and a winnable draw.

“I want to be in the hat for the next round. We have won this fixture already so it should give us confidence that we can go and beat them again.”

Haynes, who scored in the competition while with Berwick Rangers, was looking forward to making a little piece of history.

He said: “I have been extremely lucky that I am getting to be the first manager in the record books to lead the club into the Scottish Cup. For the club and for the town, it is great.

“It is what the club has worked hard for with licensing and entry into the Scottish Cup.

“We have achieved that and this is the reward for the hard work of the board and the committee.

“I imagine there will be a big push in the town to get to the game.”

Musselburgh (blue) continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 2-2 draw at home to Crossgates Primrose

Musselburgh, meanwhile, face a difficult trip to three-time Scottish Junior Cup winners Irvine Meadow. Musselburgh player/manager Joe Hamill enjoyed success in Haddington Athletic’s debut in the Scottish Cup last year when they knocked out BSC Glasgow.

He predicted a “tough” game and said: “I have looked at their record and they have played seven and won five.

“They have only been beaten twice and it is going to be tough. It is a cup game and you saw the other night with ourselves and Stoneyburn that anything can happen.

“We scraped through on penalties and they are a league below us.

“It is a cup game and you can never write anybody off.

“It is the same as when I was Haddington boss when we played BSC Glasgow. Probably nobody gave us a chance but if you have got a team spirit, you are in it together, you work hard and luck is on your side then you never know.”

Preston Athletic (blue) dropped their first points of the season in a goalless stalemate with Glenrothes

Preston Athletic have a repeat of their 2014 clash with Threave Rovers at the Pennypit.

The South of Scotland Football League side ran out 2-1 winners on that occasion after trailing at the break.

Jack Lynch, boss of the Prestonpans side, said the Scottish Cup would “always retain, for any manager, that little bit of magic”.

He told Courier Sport: “To get a home tie is something we are absolutely delighted about. Hopefully the local support will come out and give us a good support on the day.”

The preliminary round contests will be played on August 28 and Preston have Burntisland Shipyard to contend with before the cup contest.

Lynch was confident the Castle Douglas opposition would be happy with the draw and felt they would be a match for many of the teams in the East of Scotland Football League.