Camelon boss feels Myles can make the difference

Former Hearts goalkeeper Myles Hogarth has been tipped to keep East Region big guns Linlithgow at bay when they take on Camelon tonight in the final of the Dechmont Forklift League Cup.

Camelon boss Steven Kerrigan, who snapped up the shot- stopper in the summer, believes Hogarth can be a match- winner for his side at Bathgate's Creamery Park (7.15pm kick-off).

"Myles was a major signing for us - and he's been excellent," said Kerrigan of a player who was one of Gilles Rousset's understudies when the Frenchman was the No.?1 at Tynecastle.

"I played with him at Stirling Albion and, in addition to being a quality goalkeeper, he's an excellent professional who is great to have in a dressing-room. When a player finishes their career in senior football, you sometimes worry about their attitude and hunger when they come to a junior club.

"However, Myles has ticked those boxes twice over and I'm delighted about that."

Tonight's meeting is an action replay of last season's final in the same competition - Camelon coming out on top on that occasion.

The victory proved particulary sweet for Kerrigan after he'd come close to quitting in the wake of a shock Scottish Junior Cup exit at the hands of Harthill Royal earlier in the campaign.

"I had just taken over as manager this time last year, having stepped up from being the assistant manager, and I was maybe a bit too hard on myself at the start," he recalled. "I was thinking the boys perhaps needed a different voice but, in the end, they were the ones who persuaded me to stay on as manager.

"Stuart Cringean, the club captain, was one of the players who phoned me and I'm glad about that as it was definitely the right decision.

"A year on, we've not started the season as well as we would have liked, losing some costly late goals.

"However, I am not anxious at all about that as I have as I have complete confidence in the squad I'm working with. It's my team now rather than one I inherited."

Last season, Camelon beat Whitburn on penalties in the semi-finals en route to lifting the League Cup and Kerrigan is hoping history is going to repeat itself after another shoot-out success in last round, against Bo'ness.

"Despite being the holders, we are going into this game as the underdogs because Linlithgow have definitely got greater strength in depth than last season," he said.

"Dave Baikie has added three or four quality players to his squad and, in Tommy Coyne in particular, they have a striker who could easily play at a higher level.

"We will respect them but, at the same time, we know we can beat them."