Danny's Army on the march

Confusion may be the home team's strategy, for East Fife are likely to

spot a number of Danny McGrain lookalikes in Arbroath, town of the

bearded teenagers.

Danny's Bearded Army is the title adopted by a group of local

youngsters who wear false beards and support the team managed by the

one-time Celtic star. They may look like him, but I bet the northern

teenagers can't imitate his voice.

With some excitement having been generated by McGrain's arrival at

Gayfield, the fans consider that a brief encounter with the big time is

not far away. For encouragement, they will recall that McGrain's first

game in charge resulted in a 3-1 victory at Methil in November, which

was precise revenge for a home defeat two months earlier.

Two one-time team-mates at St Johnstone, Arbroath's Charlie Adam and

the visitors' Willie Brown, scored in that first encounter but will not

do so today. They are both suspended and, being good mates, are likely

to watch the match together. However, they are fiery characters and,

given the importance of the occasion, it is to be hoped that they don't

become too excited, fall out, and end up being the first players to be

booked while banned and sitting in the stand.

This tie pits the scorers of the Scottish Cup record -- Arbroath won

36-0 over Bon Accord in 1885 -- against East Fife, the only team to have

won the cup while in the second division, a feat they achieved in 1938.

More recently, Arbroath have scored late goals in their past couple of

games, which suggests that they are a 90-minute team, and they go into

this battle in better heart than the Fifers, who slumped to a 3-0 defeat

at Berwick last week.

Manager Gavin Murray said: ''That was a poor performance, but when we

play well, we're the best in the division. I'm really looking forward to

the game. Anything can happen in the cup.'' As well as Brown, Fife

defender Tom Spence also is banned for this tie.

Also suspended today is Alloa's Barrie Moffat, who was sent off in the

midweek win at Stenhousemuir and thus misses the league game at home to

Queen of the South.

Forfar, who went to Brechin in midweek and became the first visiting

team to win at the leaders' ground, should move nearer the top by

beating visitors Albion Rovers.

The most significant clash is at Hamilton, where second-top Clyde are

hosts to Stranraer, who have the same points total but have played two

games more.

Queen's Park hauled themselves off the bottom of the division for 16

minutes on Tuesday night, but Paul Friar's equaliser for East

Stirlingshire put the Spiders back at the foot.

While 'Shire are busy on cup duty, Queen's could move up to

third-bottom place if they beat Montrose and if Albion Rovers lose at

Forfar. The Hampden game kicks off at 2pm.

* THE match today between Berwick Rangers and Brechin City will kick

off early at 2.30pm because of floodlight failure at Shielfield Park.