YOKER will carry the momentum going into the opening round of league fixtures following their crushing 4-0 win over Ashfield on Saturday.

Goals from Jamie Carson, Greg Maitland, Martin McManus and Andy Rankin handed the Whe’ Ho victory in their final Sectional League Cup tie as the Holm Park side finished runners up to Clydebank in group six.

John McAulay’s side now look forward to travelling through to Robertson Park to take on Andy Frame’s Thorniewood United for the first league tie of the season.

Saturday’s opponents have experienced a summer of upheaval with Frame’s appointment as well as numerous personnel changes in the playing staff.

But, Yoker boss McAulay insists his side will be prepared for the task at hand.

He told SportScene: “Thorniewood are a bit of an unknown quantity this season and nobody knows what to expect as they are a completely changed side.

“Their new manager has come in and decided to bring his own players with him so we are a bit unsure and know absolutely nothing about them.

“I am going to watch them midweek in order to get a better idea of what to expect come Saturday.

“No matter what we will be ready for them, we are looking fresh and should be more than up to the challenge they will provide.” The win over Ashfield was all the more pleasing for McAulay as he revealed that five first team players had to miss out due to varying circumstances.

Injuries, holidays, suspensions and work commitments put paid to the Whe’ Ho boss fielding his strongest 11 but he said he was pleased with what he saw.

He added: “It was a good win for the boys, we managed to score early on and even though we took our foot off the gas for the rest of the first half we came back out and got another three goals.

“The fact we managed to get a clean sheet when we had so many players missing makes it all the better and sets us up nicely for Saturday.”