BY IAIN COLLIN – @CCP_sport
Laurie Ellis insists Raith Rovers need look no further than last year’s Scottish Cup for a lesson on the dangers that await them against Elgin City tomorrow.
The Stark’s Park coach knows the Fifers face a potential banana skin against a League Two side who have not been beaten at home all season.
The Kirkcaldy men faced a similarly hazardous tie at the same stage of last term’s competition when they travelled to face Linlithgow Rose.
The West Lothian juniors may still be wondering how they did not pull off a shock on a day when Raith’s 2-0 win did not tell the true story of a dominant performances from the hosts for the first hour of the third round tie.
Ellis believes memories of that uncomfortable 90 minutes 12 months ago should provide the Championship side, who went on to stun Rangers before losing in the quarter-finals to eventual winners Inverness Caley Thistle, with a reminder they will have to be at their best tomorrow.
Ellis, who played for Rovers when they lost the 2010 semi-final to Dundee United, said: “We took experience from that Linlithgow game. We definitely didn’t underestimate them on the day, but it showed you that there are good players in every team.
“If you don’t approach the game with 100 per cent commitment you don’t know what you’re going to get out of it and you just end up crossing your fingers and hoping for the best.
“We certainly can’t allow that to happen on Saturday – and Elgin will be a better outfit than Linlithgow as well.
“That was a really difficult game. They were excellent; we said after the game how well they had played. They really impressed a lot of people who were at that game.
“Our boys on the day didn’t perform and we’ll be looking for a far better performance this Saturday.”
Raith are awaiting updates on injuries to skipper Jason Thomson, defender Lewis Toshney and attacker Mitch Megginson, but have recalled David Bates from Brechin City to try and avert a defensive crisis for their trip to the Highlands.
