Stenhousemuir surge to top of League One table after Cove Rangers win

The newly-promoted Ochilview Park side defeated Cove Rangers 3-0 in Aberdeen on Tuesday night thanks to goals from attacking trio Matty Aitken, Scott Tomlinson and Corey O’Donnell to send Stenny two points clear at the summit.

"It is pleasing to see the likes of big Matty Aitken doing well. The goal was a fantastic finish,” former Scotland ace Naysmith said.

“He knows that Corey (O’Donnell) is breathing down his neck for that starting spot and he comes on and scores too late on with a good finish also.

“He has been scoring in the Stirlingshire Cup too and is putting the pressure on Matty for sure. That is what we want in terms of competition for places.

“Scott Tomlinson is up and running now and he is big asset for us. Matty Yates has scored a few recently and that has helped him get back to his best.

“Euan O’Reilly scored a hat-trick last Saturday and we are slowly reintroducing Ross Taylor too. Blair Alston is also a few weeks away now.”

On the win, which was just the Warriors’ second away success of the league campaign so far, delighted Naysmith added: “It is a result that keeps our good run going.

"Three victories in a row is brilliant when you consider that we’ve had three clean sheets too.

“Results like Tuesday night will help the group’s confidence grow further. But we know what we are – we are a team based on hard work.

"That is how we win matches and Cove couldn’t really cope with our press and physicality.

“Both teams made mistakes in the first half an hour or so due to the bad weather conditions but the big difference was that we capitalised on their mistakes while they didn’t capitalise on ours.

“Once we got our first goal, we were well on top and they only had a couple of half chances. We thoroughly deserved to win and we actually had enough chances to score more than three goals.

“When we get that side of the game right, then we can let our players play, and we do have talented players that can do that.

“What we haven’t done this season so far is string an unbeaten run of six/seven games together and getting consistent positive results is the target for us but I can’t complain.

“We haven’t picked up enough points away from home so that was pleasing too. We have the best home record in the league but you need to spread out where you get your points from.”

Stenny now host bottom club Dumbarton this Saturday at home, with the visitors stricken by a 15-point deduction seeing them now sit on just one point.

Ahead of that match, Naysmith said: “There is no point of going up to Cove and winning if we don’t back it up at the weekend.

"I’ve been impressed with how Stevie Farrell and the Dumbarton team have gone about things since going into admin. They haven’t lost and beating Alloa in the cup then getting a draw at their place is good going.

“We’ve lost 1-0 to Alloa twice so it shows you that they are a good side. We have three games before Christmas and we want to pick up as many points as possible.”

And on the Scottish Cup fourth round draw pairing the Warriors with Dunfermline Athletic, the boss said: “What the tie does is give us a chance. There is no pressure on us whatsoever.

"I really like going to Dunfermline, it is a cracking ground and a good football club. Of course, you want a lower ranked team at home – and the directors want Celtic or Rangers away – but we’ve got a chance.

"We nearly got Falkirk again! It felt like that was destined to be.”