AFTER last week's time-out due to Scotland's World Cup qualifying involvement, it is back to really serious action for Cowdenbeath this Saturday.

The Blue Brazil face a home William Hill Scottish Cup second round tie with East Kilbride, a re-run of last season's game at the same stage when the Blues lost 1-0.

Fortunately when EK played Cowdenbeath in the Scottish League Pyramid Play-off in May the Blues this time emerged victorious, albeit through a penalty shoot-out, but over the two games the Central Parkers were well worth their success.

EK have had a decent start to their Lowland League campaign and lie third but just a couple of weeks ago they leaked five at home to East Stirlingshire.

Cowden must look to win this tie and get into the next stage of the competition where the Championship sides come into the tournament and the chance of a money-spinning draw can throw itself up.

Cowdenbeath manager Billy Brown came back from a family holiday arranged long before he became Gary Locke's assistant for the second leg of the play-off final and he knows how important this tie is.

He said: "The Scottish Cup always has its own prestige and it is a tournament which Cowdenbeath must look to do well in.

"If you get a wee run it can earn a lot of money for the club and that has to be our aim."

He added: "Our lack of goals so far this season has been posing us problems and it has been very frustrating.

"Most of our games have seen us create some good chances but not get the goals which would have created a couple of wins which would have made a difference to our league position.

"However, at Annan there were a lot fewer openings created by us and that was disappointing.

"Hopefully we can have at least one of our injured full-backs, Jamie Pyper and Shaun Rutherford, available for the cup-tie and that would free up Fraser Mullen and Harvey Swann be used further forward."

East Kilbride have former Scotland assistant boss, Billy Stark, in charge now and he has had to recruit well after last season's Lowland League winning team saw some players head for new clubs.

However, he has picked up a couple of handy signings and while they have not had it all their own way in the league this season they lie third with only Spartans and BSC Glasgow a few points above them.

So it will be another test for Cowdenbeath against a team which has two former Cowden players in their ranks in the shape of Declan Hughes and Martin McBride.