SOUTH China striker Alen Bajkusa has thrown down the gauntlet to opponents, saying: 'If we continue to play as well as we have lately, nobody can beat us.' The Caroliners, freshly crowned league championship first-stage winners, are full of confidence entering their Senior Challenge Shield first-round match with Happy Valley tonight. It's the season's first major knockout competition and South China seem to have hit a peak just in time if recent performances are any indication. Six days ago they blasted one-time league title contenders Golden 6-0 at the Hong Kong Stadium to clinch the first stage of the league. South China have never played better this season and they hope that form can hold when they take on disappointing Valley in a match which rivals Uhlsport-Rangers will be watching with eager anticipation. Rangers complete the first stage of First Division matches by taking on rock bottom Club in the curtain-raiser of tonight's double-header. Defending Shield champions Rangers drew a first-round bye and will meet the winners of the South China-Happy Valley tie on Friday. Bajkusa, scorer of five goals this season, said: 'I don't think we will have a problem against Happy Valley. Now that we have our confidence back, we can really play well. 'We have scored 10 goals in our last two games [4-1 against Rangers and 6-0 against Golden] and that says a lot about our performance. And if we continue to play like that, we can beat anyone.' The 23-year-old Bosnian has overcome a hamstring problem which hampered the goalscoring abilities that made him such a favourite for Golden last season. 'We play Happy Valley but if we go in thinking that it is going to be an easy game, we might find ourselves in trouble. No game is easy at Mongkok Stadium not even against Club. 'What we have to do is give the match 100 per cent effort and we will be rewarded. 'I have overcome my hamstring problem. It's not bothering me as much as it did and I should be okay,' said Bajkusa, who indicated his return to form by getting on the scoresheet against Golden. South China welcome back Brazilian central defender Aurelio from suspension but the Caroliners will still miss attacking midfielder Wu Qunli, who is still recovering from surgery to have his appendix removed and should be back in training next week. Bajkusa is expected to be joined up front by the highly versatile Ricky Cheng Siu-chung who showed his goalscoring abilities when moved forward from left-back. Cheng scored his first three goals for South China against Golden and must be relishing his new position as he replaces the injured Au Wai-lun. Happy Valley, thrashed 3-0 by South China in the league earlier this month, will be trying to stop a club who have scored 20 and let in just two in their last four matches. Happy Valley chairman Martin Hong Po-kui knows the odds are stacked against his team. But he said: 'South China must be on a high after winning the first round of the First Division and we hope to catch them off guard. 'We lost to South China last time but this match is at Mongkok Stadium and anything can happen there.' Striker David Cooper, from non-league side Hitchin, misses the chance to start in Hong Kong after Hong decided to use striker Wong Chi-keung to partner Scottish import Paul Ritchie, their top scorer of nine goals this season. Cooper, on a one-month trial, was hoping to slay his second dragon after helping Hitchin to stun Second Division Bristol Rovers 2-1 in the English FA Cup earlier this month. The 24-year-old Cooper joined Happy Valley last week is hoping to turn his new club's fortunes after a disappointing first stage of the league campaign where the 1988-89 league champions finished seventh out of 10 teams. Happy Valley goalkeeper Tommy Maras should be in the firing line again, replacing Tong Tak-kin although the move is not going to completely satisfy Happy Valley player/coach Leung Sui-wing, who is worried about his club's 'keepers. Probable lineups South China: Werner Kooistra; Ku Kam-fai, Aurelio, Song Lianyong, Yau Kin-wai; Pedro Xavier, Lee Kin-wo, Shum Kwok-pui, Chan Chi-hong; Alen Bakjusa, Ricky Cheng Siu-chung. Happy Valley: Tommy Maras; Hau Yiu-tak, Leung Sui-wing, Neil Armour, Keung Wing-yiu; Chau Chi-hung, Gary McGinnis, Pang Chi-tong, Paul Ronald; Wong Chi-keung, Paul Ritchie.
