Meigle'S professional Ryan Watson has backed his side to fly the flag for the minor leagues in this season's SCU Trophy.

The Perthshire club have an outstanding chance of reaching the quarter-finals after being drawn at home in the last 16 to Strathmore Union rivals Gordonians.

Not that a Victory Park draw assures Meigle of that outcome - if anything they may have preferred to travel to Aberdeen.

Watson said: ''We've already played Gordonians twice in the league this season. ''They got us on a sticky wicket at Meigle and bowled us out for just 42.

''But we got our revenge up there when we won by eight wickets, and I think that will give us the edge.

''It's certainly nice that one side from our league will progress to the later stages.'' The outcome may rest on the 21 year-old Johannesburg player's duel with Gordonians' pro Anju Mudkavi, now in his fourteenth season at Countesswells.

Holders Watsonians have been handed a home draw, but won't find progress plain sailing against improving Uddingston, while last year's beaten finalists Dunfermline surely can look forward to some respite from their National League traumas at home to St.Modan's.

However, the tie of the round could be in Fife where Conference C rivals Freuchie and Greenock clash. The draw:

Freuchie v Greenock, Watsonians v Uddingston, Kelburne v Melrose, Brechin v Corstorphine, Stenhousemuir v GHK, Dunfermline v St.Modan's, Edinburgh Accies v Forfarshire, Meigle v Gordonians (Ties to be played on Sunday, May 31