Dumbarton defender Dougie Hill and midfielder Kyle Hutton can joke about it now – but their emotions couldn’t have been more different on April 6, 2014.

“He couldn’t get near me!” Hill said.

But Hutton replied: “No wonder I couldn’t get near him – he always sits that far back!”

The pair were on opposite sides as Hill’s Raith Rovers stunned Hutton’s Rangers to win the Challenge Cup 1-0 in extra-time at Easter Road four years ago.

But the two will be teammates this weekend as Sons prepare to face Inverness at McDiarmid Park in the final of the same competition.

Hill played the full game that day and has special memories from the occasion – and not just getting one over on Hutton.

He said: “It was one of the most memorable days of my career.

“It was a cup final in a massive stadium, against a massive team, so it couldn’t have been better.

“It goes that quick maybe you don’t take in as much as you should.

“He [Hutton] couldn’t get near me! But he was in centre midfield and I was at centre-half so we didn’t really meet each other on the pitch.

“He doesn’t talk about it much! I always burn his ears with it but he keeps quiet.”

While it was one of the most memorable days of his career for the former Raith man, Hutton’s emotions were the opposite.

The midfielder was hooked after an hour and had to watch from the sidelines as John Baird’s extra-time winner stunned the Gers.

He can have a laugh now about meeting his future teammate on the pitch in the 2014 final, but the hurt remains as he targets redemption in this Saturday’s big game.

He said: “It was no wonder that I couldn’t get near him – he sits that far back! He’s usually beside his own goalie so that’s why I couldn’t.

“I had a bad experience the last time in this final with Rangers so I’ll be aiming to put it right.

“I was very disappointed. In the first half we had a few chances and in the second half the game died.

“There were a few mistakes at the back and John Baird nipped in and won it.

“I’ve got the chance to correct that on Saturday and I’m hoping I can.

“I’m really looking forward to it and so are all the boys.”