Sauchie Juniors assistant boss Davie Beaton says his men are primed and ready to defend their East of Scotland Cup crown when they welcome Broxburn to Beechwood Park this weekend.

The former Alloa Athletic star reckons they must look to use the home advantage to emerge unscathed from a tough test against their Super League rivals, but he knows they will be in for a tough afternoon if they don’t perform at their best.

Beaton told Advertiser sport: “We are hoping the game is on this weekend because we are the holders of the cup and can’t wait for the Broxburn game. We know it will be tough and competitive though because Broxburn are a good side, who are well drilled by Steve Pitman, and it will be a tough game.

“Whenever you play at home you look to make it fortress and use it to your advantage and Saturday will be no different.

“If we can play to the levels we are capable of, and with the players we have in our squad, then I believe it makes us the favourites to win the match.

“Broxburn can be stubborn opposition who can make life difficult for us if we allow them to get their tails up. So we have to start the game well, get out the traps flying and make sure we do the right things at the correct time and be hard to beat.

“We also need to start taking our chances in games because when you don’t do that then the pressure goes on the defence to dig you out not to lose goals.” The 47-year-old, who is Fraser Duncan’s number two, believes the new arrivals at the club have given everyone a lift and he is hopeful that momentum will now transfer onto the park as they get back to competitive action this weekend.

Beaton said: “The new lads are all settling in well. Sammy is like he has never been away like we knew it would be. Jinky gets sharper every week as well and it won’t be too much longer until he is pushing for a start because he is a quality player.

“Iain Diack brings bags of experience to the team, but as well as that he is looking really fit and has great work ethic. He has scored goals at every level he has played at so he is a proven goalscorer and that could be the key for us to give us a boost.

“He has also been working well with the younger lads and that can only help bring them on as well. Ross is a good goalkeeper and a great addition to the squad. He brings a wee bit more experience at this level and he is a proven talent.

“It is great in terms of competition because we have two good goalies now and you can see the effect of that competitive edge on the training pitch now.” Beaton and the rest of the club have been left frustrated after five weeks without a game with the weather causing havoc with their fixture schedule since the start of 2015, but he reckons it might actually have worked in their favour.

He added: “It has been tough with no game for the last five weeks because it is difficult to keep that sharpness, but it has given us the chance to work hard in training on some new things.

“You don’t like to miss games and players are all itching to get back out there now, but I think the break has worked out in our favour.

“It has been a good thing for us because it has allowed us to bed in our new players like Ross Harkness and Iain Diack as well as get a few of our injured players back too.

“Ally Burns and Gary Bonnes are both getting fitter each week too so they are not too far away at all either.”