RECORD seven times Scottish Citylink Cup winners Auchinleck Talbot have boosted hopes of an eighth trophy success in their centenary season by signing striker David Gillies on loan from Ayr United.

Fans will be further heartened by news that the 25-year-old, already with a winners' medal from playing for the Talbot side that beat Bathgate Thistle 2-1 in the 2006 final, is set to make his move permanent when the Senior transfer window opens in January.

The marksman has not enjoyed the best of fortunes since departing Beechwood Park for back-to-back Senior stints at Airdrie United and Ayr.

If he shows up well in a specially arranged friendly match with Clydebank taking place tonight then there has to be every likelihood of Gillies going straight into boss Tommy Sloan's plans for this weekend's crunch third round replay against Bo'ness United.

Yet another Talbot front man hoping to cram in some much needed match practice and play himself into contention for facing the East Region cracks is suspension-free front man Stevie Mallan.

And it's a measure of the improved scoring riches available to Sloan that he can also call upon Danny McKelvie, Sean McIlroy and emerging talent Kris Doolin.

Meanwhile, keeping fingers crossed that his side will likewise be in much better shape for their Citylink replay at home to Hurlford United is Ashfield gaffer Stevie Rankin.

A bout of flu was set to sideline Craig Smith, Martin Gault and Alan "Spider" Smith if Saracen Park's frost-bound pitch had passed muster last weekend but worryingly for Rankin, none of the trio were considered fit enough to take part in a stiff training ground work-out last night, leaving him apprehensive over their availability for this coming Saturday.

He said: "I'm not at the stage of pressing the panic button just yet but pressure will definitely start to build if the lads have not recovered in time to train tomorrow.

"Every one of them has a part to play but particularly Spider, whose physical prowess went a long way to combating the height and aerial strength of big Hurlford strikers Scott McGregor and Gavin Orr in our first meeting."

Their attack-minded rivals deploy ex-Benburb striker Gavin Brown and former Junior Scotland ace Charlie Adams on the flank, however Rankin is confident his Saracen backline can hold fast.

He added: "We coped well against their threat down at Blair Park and it would have been a travesty had we lost even though our equaliser never arrived until the final minute.

"But I'm equally sure Hurlford will think they should have knocked us out and will come here feeling they can do a better job at the second time of asking."

Bookmakers make Ashfield and Auchinleck favourites to progress into the fourth round draw which is scheduled to take place in the Evening Times offices on the morning of Tuesday, December 16, with full details of the pairings set to be carried in the paper that day.

Elsewhere comes news of a flurry of transfer activity, with out of favour Rutherglen Glencairn striker Derek Carmichael completing a move to Fauldhouse United, while his former New Southcroft Park team-mate Carlo Rea is tipped to put pen to paper for Glens' near neighbours Cambuslang Rangers.

Even more surprising is the decision by Rob Roy to listen to offers for 26-year-old midfielder Chris Gentile, who has asked away after failing to hold down a regular starting jersey since the Rabs won promotion into the Super Premier Division this season.

Finally, Dalry Thistle are again paying the price for ongoing pitch problems at Merksworth Park by having to switch their outstanding New Coin Automatics West of Scotland Cup first round contest against Blantyre Vics to Castle Park this coming Saturday.