THE SCOTSMAN REPORTS
DAVID FERGUSON
ONE of the closest Division 1 championships in years may be nearing its finale, but yesterday attention switched to the National Cup with the big guns being drawn away to underdogs across the country in the fourth round draw.

It is at this stage that the top 32 teams from the Premiership divisions enter the race, but all are handed away games to help enliven what are usually heavily one-sided affairs and provide some of Scotland's ambitious smaller clubs with attractive home games.

The first tie drawn out of the hat at Murrayfield yesterday was an intriguing one, handing Glasgow Hawks a short trip down the coast to Greenock Wanderers, but there are a host of ties poised to give the big names some uncomfortable moments.

Dundee HSFP head to Langholm, Ayr are away to up-and-coming Falkirk and Peebles travel to Perthshire, another team who are on the up, while Stirling County at Preston Lodge and Heriot's at renowned giant-killers Strathendrick are among other promising contests.

The tournament is being played without a sponsor for the first time.

The losers from the cup's fourth round will have another chance to reach Murrayfield on finals day as they drop into the first round of the shield. For the first time there will be four finals, with a new plate competition featuring regionalised early rounds.

NATIONAL CUP ROUND 4 DRAW: Greenock Wanderers v Glasgow Hawks, Falkirk v Ayr, Preston Lodge v Stirling County, Garnock v Hawick, Allan Glen's v Berwick, Ross High v Cartha Queens Park, Highland v Kirkcaldy, Stewartry v Hamilton, Marr or McLaren FP or Millbrae v Watsonians, Broughton FP v Boroughmuir, Strathendrick v Heriot's, Strathmore or Strathclyde University v Selkirk, St Andrews University v Murrayfield Wanderers, Grangemouth or Cumbernauld v Haddington, Dalziel v Currie, RHC v Melrose, Ardrossan Academicals v Stewart's-Melville FP, Caithness v Hillhead/Jordanhill, Musselburgh v West of Scotland, Orkney v Aberdeen GSFP, Lenzie v Gala, Perthshire v Peebles, Langholm v Dundee HSFP, Annan v Dunfermline, Madras College FP v Kelso, Howe of Fife v Cambuslang, Edinburgh University v Ellon, Irvine or Lasswade v Biggar, Hawick YM v GHA, Duns v Livingston, Newton Stewart v Edinburgh Academical, Forrester FP v Jed-Forest. (Ties to be played on Saturday, 20 January)

This article was posted on 14-Dec-2006, 08:29 by Hugh Barrow.