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With the team kicking-off the cinch Championship in impressive fashion with the two-nil win over Raith Rovers, manager Jim McIntyre and club captain Mitch Megginson, both hailed it as the perfect start to the campaign.

Having named an unchanged line-up from the draw in Inverness, Jim says he got everything he could have wanted from the team:

“It was a great performance from the boys, I thought they were excellent.

“We came out of the traps really well and showed a real intent that we wanted to try to attack. We were really pleased that we managed to get ourselves in front and there was some dogged defending out there from us as well.

“There had to be because Raith are a good side.

“They threw on a lot of players and made it difficult for us, but all in all, over the balance of play, I think we deserved the victory.”

Jim praised keeper Kyle Gourlay for the outstanding save he made to ensure we went in at the interval still narrowly in front.

“He’s made a couple of good saves,” said Jim.

“We’ve rode our luck too, they had another one off the post, but these are the things you need to go your way if you are to win games at this level.

“Equally, I thought we earned it for being so determined, especially in the last fifteen minutes, when they were throwing the kitchen sink at us.

“Credit to the boys for digging in, there were a lot of tired legs out there.

“We don’t have the same amount of personnel yet to allow us to make substitutions to freshen things up and help the lads who were out there.

“So, I was extra pleased with the effort they put in – and what a great day to do it on.”

Striker Mitch scored the two goals that secured the three points which ensured we ended the afternoon top of the Championship table, ahead of Partick Thistle – the only other side to win their opening day fixture – on goal difference.

Jim said: “Mitch is a predator, I think he would score goals at any level.

“He finds himself in good positions all of the time, he’s got that striker’s natural instinct, he knows where the ball is going to fall.

“The first was really pleasing because that’s something we worked on.”

Jim was also delighted by the bumper turn-out of 1,138 to witness our first ever match at Championship level:

“The support we received was absolutely magnificent. When Aberdeen aren’t playing at home we are obviously hoping to get a bit of foot fall from the locals.

“I’m sure if we are doing well, they will continue come along to see what’s going on.”

It was a momentous day for skipper Mitch, who was delighted to have marked such a historic day for Cove Rangers in a positive fashion.

Having once been a ball-boy, he admitted captaining the club for the first game at Championship level meant everything to him.

“It’s the perfect start.

“The whole journey we have been on, to then take over from big Eric (Watson, his predecessor as club captain) and lead us into League Two, League One and now the Championship, was a proud moment for myself.

“Everyone knows I have ties with this club that go back a long time, so it’s an honour.

“We wanted to get off on the front foot and it’s great we managed to do that, although it was a very hard game.

“Raith are a good side, with a lot of top quality players. We had to dig in at times, but it was a very professional performance from us and a great way to start our time in the Championship.

“We had to work hard defensively, but we accept that’s something we are likely going to have to do a lot this season. I don’t think we will have the ball as much as we have been used to.

“We are going to have to be dogged, get close to teams and put in tackles, and we showed we can do that.”

Mitch’s first goal came from a corner routine the players had been working to perfect two days previously, so he was delighted to see it pay off when it mattered most:

“The manager gave us a couple of things to work on in training on Thursday.

“It’s brilliant when they come off as they did on this occasion.

“We won’t take anything for granted though. This was only one win out of thirty-six games; there is a long, long way to go.

“It’s a great start, but we are already focused on making sure we are ready to go again next week.”

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