Airdrie's Mason Hancock says performances in their 5-2 win over Arbroath will make it difficult to pick the cup final team (Image: SNS Group)

Airdrie's cup final headache is a good one to have, says defender

Mason Hancock says several Airdrie stars have given Rhys McCabe something to think about, ahead of Sunday's cup final

by · Daily Record

Mason Hancock says Airdrie have given gaffer Rhys McCabe a nice headache by playing their way into his SPFL Trust Trophy final thoughts.

Red-hot Diamonds are fourth in the Championship table following their 5-2 hammering of basement battlers Arbroath, as they head into a final showdown against Wales’ TNS at the Falkirk Stadium on Sunday.

English defender Hancock bagged his third goal of the season in Saturday’s 5-2 win at home to Arbroath, and is delighted with his lot.

Arron Lyall scored his first senior goal to level Ryan Dow’s 17th-minute opener for Arbroath, and Liam McStravick put the hosts 2-1 up at the interval, latching onto Adam Frizzell’s through ball to score.

Hancock netted with a header from a Frizzell corner two minutes into the second half, before David Gold pulled a goal back for Arbroath.

Charlie Telfer slipped a low shot into the net after Max Boruc had brilliantly saved Nikolay Todorov’s header in 69 minutes, and then his corner was headed in by Craig Watson to seal an emphatic win.

Hancock, 21, reckons five players scoring means McCabe’s cup final side on Sunday might not be set in stone.

He said: “We’ve given the gaffer a headache, but it’s a good headache.

Hancock says Airdrie are in a good position at this stage of the season (Image: Steve Welsh)

“Competition is great in this team, we have players sitting on the bench that can easily come into the game and make a difference.

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“We’re fourth in the table now and it’s a great position to be in. It’s where we want to be, and where we know we should be.

“But the season isn’t done, we’ve still got a lot to do. Anyone can beat everyone in this league, so we stay focused and remain where we want to be.”

Hancock aims to add more goals to his game, and said: “I didn’t have any goals or assists in my professional game until I came here, it’s always something I’ve wanted to add to my game, it was just trying to find out how I could do it.

“It’s getting that hunger for goals and assists, and I feel like I’m slowly getting there. I’ve still got a lot to do, but I’m really enjoying it.

Hancock (left) with captain Adam Frizzell, has scored three times this season but aims to add to his tally (Image: SNS Group)

“I think it’s more mentality, just being hungry for it. Your crossing, you can work on, I get the majority of my assists from crossing the ball, but scoring goals from a corner like that is just a hunger.”

Hancock added: “We tried to start quickly, at times we were quick, but slackness at the back cost us the goal.

“We did really well getting the two going into half-time, but we didn’t get it lightly.

“The gaffer felt we still had plenty to prove out there, we did and we got a great reaction.

“It probably was scored at a good time, and Arbroath’s second can be a bit of a killer, a bit of a blow, but we showed great determination and character to push on and get more goals.”

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