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Defender Ryan Strachan and manager Paul Hartley spoke to the media after our 3-0 cinch League One victory over Peterhead at Balmoral Stadium.

Ryan, who scored the opening goal early in the second half, said: “I was delighted to score when I did.

“It was the right time after having failed to find the net despite dominating the first half.

“We could easily have been 5-0 up – but the problem was we weren’t.

“It meant they (the Peterhead players) could have got a roasting at half-time and come back out a totally different team, with even more determination.

“Scoring so early just killed any fears about that and if we had won by six or seven Peterhead couldn’t have complained.

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During the Scottish League One game between Cove Rangers FC and Peterhead FC at Balmoral Stadium, Aberdeen, Scotland, on Saturday 13th November 2021 ( Photo by Dave Cowe )

“We were really good for the whole of the game – and long may that continue.

“It was also our third clean sheet in four games, which is something defenders care a lot about.

“That was down to good performances from everyone.

“Going with the extra man in the centre of defence played a big part in that too.

“It wasn’t a negative change, it was actually very positive because it gave the wide players and those in midfield more freedom to push on and cause problems at the other end of the park.

“It really worked a treat.

“That sort of flexibility could be a huge help to us as we go through the season.

“When we were the new boys in League Two teams didn’t know what to expect from us, which helped us do really well.

“We tended to line-up 4-2-3-1 that first season and it was pretty much the same when we played at League One level last season too.

“We have shown we can now win games by moving things about a bit more, so it will leave teams guessing how we are going to go when we play them.

“That’s good in what is a really tough league, where the majority of the games are really tight.”

Manager Paul said: “I thought we were superb, from the first minute right to the last.

“I felt we could have scored more goals, we weren’t clinical enough in the first half, but some of our play; the build-up, the speed of our game, the pressing, counter-pressing, it just all clicked.

“We looked really comfortable in defence.

“I changed the shape, as we looked at how they play and then we looked at how we could improve in the final third.

“Overall, everybody played their part.”

Paul praised Ryan Strachan for getting what was his first strike of the season to send us on course to lift the three points.

“Ryan gets vital goals for us” he said.

“It was a good ball in, and Morgan (Neill) does really well and then the second phase we score from it.

“I thought we were terrific.

“It was a good crowd today too, a good day for football – hopefully the fans went away happy with the way we played today.”

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