DAVID McCALLUM wants his Rangers B side to grasp the opportunity to reach the quarter-final of the SPFL Trust Trophy tomorrow evening.
The Light Blues are 90 minutes away from a last eight showdown away to Scottish Championship outfit Queen’s Park having navigated the challenge of Bo’ness United, Clyde and Fraserburgh through the first three rounds of the competition.
Speaking to the media to preview tomorrow’s showdown in Stirling, McCallum said of the challenge: “Ultimately tomorrow’s game is about winning, getting through to the next round, and having an away game potentially at Hampden.
“From that point of view, this is a good opportunity for our guys to go and perform to win.
“It’s not only about what we do with the ball. Of course, we need to be really ruthless in creating moments in front of their goal, but we also need to be a team and be really dogged.
“We need to make sure that our players from back to front want to defend and give ourselves a base to go and play from.
“I expect us to be energetic and make sure that Stenhousemuir have limited time on the ball; I want them to work hard to break us down.
“I don’t think you can hide and protect the players from the expectation – that’s what this club brings whether it’s the B Team or first-team – and I won’t let them in preparation for tomorrow.
“It can start to build their individual profile and people can get to know who they are in a high level game.
“It’s not going to be straightforward and we’re going to have to work and perform at a level that we know they can.
“We’ll be challenged defensively and they’ll make it about our backline as quick and early as they possibly can. Our penalty box will be one of those areas where we won’t have a lot of time to think; we’re almost anticipating danger and making sure we deal with those moments.
“It’s getting that fine balance between showing what you look like with the ball but also being resilient when you don’t have it.”
Stenhousemuir currently lie in fifth place in League One, although they only trail league leaders Alloa Athletic by three points.
Indeed, the Light Blues were victorious over the Warriors in this competition last season, running out 2-1 winners at Ochilview Park thanks to a Zak Lovelace stoppage time winner.
McCallum continued: “Stenhousemuir will be a good challenge. They are sitting challenging at the top end of League One, albeit they had a difficult result at the weekend.
“I think they’re still within three points of being top of League One, so that in itself means it will be a challenging game.
“At the same time, we have to believe the level that this group of players can get to. This type of game is an opportunity for the lads who are still young, and trying to build their way in the game, to show that, against a good level of League One team, they can go and perform really well.
“It will be the toughest game in this cup competition that we’ve had so far by a comfortable distance.
“We’ve played against a couple of first-teams in recent weeks, such as Stirling Albion, which will be a natural jump up again.
“The reason why we took the game on last week [against Stirling Albion] was in preparation for this one. Our squad will be slightly different as it always tends to be in the B Team.
“The preparation last week was primarily for the younger ones who need to get that feeling of playing against senior players who won’t make it easy for you.
“The ones who are more used to it should be normal for them, and it’s just about making sure that as players they come together and look like us.”