Football: No game for Greenock Juniors FC this Saturday

Gary Fleming's men were originally due to be in Third Division action against Threave Rovers, but the Castle Douglas side will instead travel to Ayrshire to face Glenafton Athletic in the second preliminary round of the senior Scottish Cup.

With cup ties taking precedence over league games, it gives the Nock a chance to recharge their batteries ahead of a busy spell of three cup games of their own in their next five matches.

Equally, though, Fleming and his coaching team may be a little disappointed at not being able to carry forward the momentum built up by victories in Greenock's last four league and cup ties - the most recent of them the 3-1 win away to Girvan last Saturday that took Nock up to fourth place in the table.

The squad had a most useful training match on Tuesday which allowed a number of players to gain much needed game time as Fleming looks to his options before a busy September gets under way.

Preparations now focus on the league match away to Glenvale at McKenna Park on September 7, in which Fleming and his players would be very satisfied indeed if they were to repeat the 3-1 win chalked up at Ravenscraig when the sides last met in round one of the South Challenge Cup on August 17.

Greenock will then complete a three-game cycle against Glenvale under the lights at Ravenscraig on Friday, September 20 in round two of the Scottish Junior Cup.

Sandwiched in between those Glenvale clashes is a home tie against Thorniewood in round two of the South Challenge Cup on September 14.

The Thorniewood game kicks off a run of five straight home matches for Fleming's squad, with the league visits of Kilsyth Athletic (September 28) and Glasgow United (October 12) coming either side of Darvel's trip to Ravenscraig to start their defence of the West of Scotland Cup on October 5. Exciting times ahead!

Greenock are sponsored by Saveheat, Keystore Cowal View, Safer Group, The Lighthouse Bar, McGills, ARC and Blairs.