East Stirling Should Be Favourites In Cup Clash

Dundee United will have a difficult away tie in the 4th round of the Scottish Cup, after being drawn against Scottish 3rd Division side East Stirling.

The lower league side are currently managed by former Dundee United player Jim McInally and knocked out 1st division side Livingston in the previous round.

In one of the shocks of the 3rd round, goals from Eddie Forrest and Brian Graham gave the Shire a 2-1 home win over the Almondvale club and were rewarded with another home tie against SPL opposition.

With an average attendance of just 468, the Firs Park side will be hoping to cash in with a large the travelling United support, but Craig Levein`s side will be determined to be in the draw for the next stage of the competition.

However, if previous results between the two sides are anything to go by, it should be East Stirling who will be favourites, because it is United that haven`t won at Firs Park since the 1935/36 season.

East Stirling have only lost 4 out of 19 matches at home and since the 1935/36 season have hosted United on 11 occasions, with 5 wins and 6 draws proving its a difficult place to visit.

Dundee United`s last encounter with East Stirling came during the 1963/64 campaign when they met twice in the old Scottish 1st division, but despite the Tannadice result ending 2-0 in United`s favour, there was a share of the spoils with a 1-1 draw in the away tie.

The last time East Stirling beat the Tangerines was during the 1959/60 season in the old Scottish 2nd division, but in that same campaign United managerial legend Jerry Kerry masterminded a 6-1 victory at Tannadice.

Meanwhile, other interesting ties in the 4th round include an Edinburgh derby and local rivals Dundee travelling to Parkhead to play SPL champions Celtic.

Full 4th round draw:
Peterhead v Queen's Park
St Johnstone v Rangers
Raith Rovers or Alloa v Aberdeen, Falkirk v Queen of the South
Airdrie v Elgin City or Spartans
Inverurie Locos or Vale of Leithen v Motherwell
Ross County or Dumbarton v Hamilton
Forfar or Stranraer v Forres Mechanics or Dalbeattie Star
Inverness v Partick Thistle
Celtic v Dundee
East Stirlingshire v Dundee United
Stenhousemuir v East Fife
Hibernian v Hearts
Lochee United or Ayr United v Kilmarnock
Dunfermline v Clyde
Edinburgh City or Brechin v St Mirren.

(Matches wll be played over the weekend of the 10th/11th of January 2009)

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