Inverness-Raith Rovers preview

The Highland capital and surrounding areas have been battered by heavy rains in recent days – which put paid to Satutrday’s scheduled fixture – and, despite further blustery showers on Monday, the club have confirmed that the re-arranged game will go ahead as planned on Tuesday evening. 
Recent arrivals Eddie Ofere and Tarmo Kink will both be in contention for the game, as will Marley Watkins who returns from suspension. Gary Warren serves the second game of his ban while Dean Brill, who returned to training this week, is still a fortnight away of a first-team return.
The home side, sitting third in the Premiership, face a Championship side that went to Ibrox and beat Rangers 2-1 in the last round of the cup.
Manager John Hughes said: “We know what to expect. It is going to be a cracking game. They are not a bad side. They are going well in the league and if there is any complacency whatsoever you just have to look at what they did in the last round. They did something that we couldn’t do, go to Ibrox and beat them.
“It is going to be a tough, tough match and possibly one of our hardest matches of the season because of what is at stake. I am quite happy with the home draw. But we have to be quite sure we are at our best and if we are at our best then I am hoping we can take the game to them.”
Inverness go into the game on the back of a 2-1 defeat at struggling Motherwell last week and, after three matches without a win, Hughes is looking for a response.
He said: “We were unlucky not to take something from the game last week so it is important that we get back to winning ways, so there is not a better game nor time to do it than the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup.
Veteran striker Christian Nade is back in the Raith side after suspension. Calum Elliot is absent after knee surgery but on-loan Barrie McKay returns to cup action after missing out against his parent club Rangers in the last round.
Rovers manager Grant Murray said: “Inverness are doing well in the league above us and they will really see this as an opportunity to get to the semi-finals. However if we play like we did against Rangers then we have a chance.”
The winners will face either Dundee United or Celtic in the semi-final at Hampden Park on the weekend of April 18/19.