'We have to be wary' - Falkirk assistant boss Paul Smith expects tough Scottish Cup test at Wick Academy

Over 10 years have passed since Smith was assistant manager to Grant Murray at Raith Rovers – current Falkirk gaffer John McGlynn had just left Stark’s Park to take over as Hearts manager - as Raith eventually won 4-2 over Wick in a Ramsdens Cup tie on July 28, 2012.

“John had just left to go to Hearts,” Smith told the Falkirk Herald. “We unfortunately drew Wick away in the first round.

"We won 4-2 but it was quite a difficult game. We didn’t win it until late on when we put the game to bed and got the fourth goal.

"That was at the start of the season so conditions were fairly decent at that time.

"We were well looked after by the Wick committee so we’re looking forward to the game on Saturday.

"We know what to expect. The pitch is on a fairly big hill. I think there’s a six-foot difference from top to bottom.

"With the rain they’ve had this week it will certainly be a very heavy pitch and most teams in League One have astroturf pitches now so it will be a wee bit different going onto the grass surface.

"We spoke to the players this week. We showed the some video analysis on where we’re going and it’s up to us to go up there on Saturday and do the business.”

Falkirk, second in League One, will begin the five-hour bus journey to Wick at 2.30pm today (Friday) before staying in a Highland hotel overnight to ensure they are well rested ahead of taking on Gary Manson’s men, currently 10th in the Highland League.

"When I was with Raith 10 years ago we also travelled up to Wick the day before,” Smith said.

"You are talking a four-and-a-half, five-hour journey. So if there’s an accident on the A9 that could hold you up, so you really have to get yourself up there and give the players the best preparation possible.

"We have had Wick watched once against Deveronvale, they beat them that day. We were meant to go and watch them against Keith last week but unfortunately that game was postponed as the pitch was flooded.

"We’ve got various bits of video footage. They obviously had a fantastic result against Lochee, 5-1, and then beat Benburb 2-0 in the previous two rounds.

"Certainly at home they’ve got decent form and we’ve got to be wary of that.

"They are usually 4-2-3-1 and from what we’ve seen and the report we got, they certainly like to go and pass the ball.

"I don’t think they’ll change their game too much, I think they’ll pass the ball from the back. But it will depend on how the pitch is.

"We’ve just got to make sure our application and attitude is spot on.

"We’re the big team going there, they’re the total underdogs, they’ve got nothing to lose.

"They will certainly raise their game. This is their cup final so we’ve got to be fully prepared for that.”

The Bairns go into the fixture following a 3-3 away draw against strugglers Clyde in the league last Saturday.

"We were very disappointed at the end of the dy not to get the three points,” Smith said. “Defending was poor on the day.

"So the message is ‘get back to winning ways’. I think everyone, players, fans, management team, all enjoy the Scottish Cup.

"We know it will be a difficult game up there. We’ll go and give it our best shot and hopefully get ourselves in the draw.

"It’s up to the boys to go and create their own Scottish Cup history.

"For myself, I was manager at Berwick Rangers when we drew 0-0 with Rangers (a fourth round tie in January 2002). Obviously we went back to Ibrox for the replay when they had Ronald de Boer, Flo, Amoruso.

"It was great, being a young manager at that time and I’m sure all the Berwick players who played in those two games remember that."

Falkirk defender Coll Donaldson – an unused substitute against Clyde – has trained all week after suffering flu and is available again.