KELTY HEARTS will have "full respect" for their opponents in the Scottish Cup this weekend but will not go out with a defensive mindset.

That's the message from player / manager, Michael Tidser, who has described Saturday's trip to face Championship Ayr United as a "great occasion" for the club.

The New Central Park outfit, who sit sixth in League One, just two points behind fourth-placed Montrose and the final promotion play-off place, following their draw with Annan Athletic, will play the Honest Men for the first time.

There will, however, be a different man leading the Somerset Park side after they parted with company with head coach, and former Pars favourite, Lee Bullen earlier this week after two years in charge.

READ MORE: 'I'll always try and be positive' says Kelty boss after "frustrating" Annan draw

Ayr, who finished second in last season's Championship, before losing to Partick Thistle in the Premiership play-off semi-final, slipped to second bottom after their stalemate at Arbroath on Saturday.

They have won just one of their last seven outings, and needed extra time to see off League Two Peterhead in the third round.

Tidser, whose side claimed a fine 2-0 success at Hamilton Academical in the last round, knows his side face a tough test, but told Press Sport: "It's a cup game.

"I've played against Ayr for years and years throughout my career - they're a good side. There'll be a decent crowd, grass pitch, Scottish Cup, but I've said to you before, with the greatest respect, I'm not going to go 4-5-1 and not try and play. I'll try and play and try and take the game to them.

READ MORE: Kelty's Scottish Cup opponents part company with former Pars star

"They're a good side. We respect that, they're in a division above us, their budget will be double ours, they have got good players, I know some of their players, so we're not daft.

"It's a great occasion and hopefully on the day you can get the rub of the green. Anything can happen because it's a cup game.

"We'll have full respect for them. I know they've been up and down a wee bit this season, but they'll look at it as a chance to get themselves back on track. I know how it works, but we'll go down there and face it head on."

Tidser, however, has suffered an injury blow after confirming forward Lewis Moore will be out for between four to eight weeks with a knee problem.

The 25-year-old, who has bagged five goals in 20 appearances this season, hasn't played since a league draw at Hamilton two days before Christmas, and Tidser added: "He's hurt his medial in his right knee.

"He got a scan and we're probably looking at close to a month or two for him. It's a big loss for us because Moorey's a very good player."

Meanwhile, Kelty's home League One fixture with Edinburgh City, which postponed at the beginning of December due to snow, will be played on Tuesday, February 13, with kick off at 7.45pm.