ALLAN McLUCKIE says Auchinleck Talbot will give cup shock troops Craigmark all the respect they deserve when the Second Division side rock up at Beechwood Park this weekend.

The Dalmellington men have beaten two teams from the leagues above, including top flight Irvine Meadow, on their way to the last eight of the West of Scotland Cup.

Talbot will be everyone’s overwhelming favourites going into Saturday’s quarter-final tie – but McLuckie insists his players will be taking nothing for granted.

Speaking after Saturday’s 2-0 league win at home to Hurlford, McLuckie told Talbot’s media team: “We take every game as seriously as we can, whether it’s a cup game or a league game.

“They’ve beaten teams at a higher level before so we know we’ve got to play. Any team we play against, it’s 11 against 11 to start with.

"You’ve got to give them respect, and we’ve got to be at it from the word go.”

Ewan Thomson gave Talbot the interval advantage against Darren Henderson’s men on Saturday before Connor Boyd sealed the win in the last five minutes as Talbot completed a Junior Cup and Premier Division double over the Blair Park side.

It was far from Talbot’s most memorable victory of the campaign, but with 10 wins in their last 11 league matches, the result keeps the Beechwood boys well and truly in the league title mix, nine points behind leaders Clydebank but with five games in hand.

“The conditions were very difficult,” McLuckie admitted. “The wind was gusting all day, it wasn’t easy to play football, but we’re delighted with another clean sheet and another three points.”

You can watch highlights from Saturday's match, and Allan McLuckie's post-match thoughts in full, at the Auchinleck Talbot channel on YouTube.