We can secure positive results in Viaplay Cup, reckons Stenhousemuir boss Gary Naysmith

The Warriors kick off their competitive campaign on Saturday with a home tie against Premiership side St Johnstone, before travelling to Championship hopefuls Ayr United the following Tuesday night. They then play League One duo Stirling Albion and Alloa Athletic to round off the group.

“It is going to be difficult,” Naysmith told Warriors TV. “Every team is ranked above us and that in itself tells you that it will be tough but we want to be competitive. That doesn’t mean that cannot get positive results.

“We know against St Johnstone they will probably have a lot of the ball, they are three leagues higher than us, but I think if we are organised and prepared to work hard then we will be able to cause them problems too with our own players.

“More will be revealed on Saturday, it is a little bit like hide and seek at the moment. You don’t know what you are going to come up against.”

Stenhousemuir rounded off pre-season with a 2-1 defeat to Lowland League outfit Tranent Juniors last Saturday, but the boss isn’t too worried about results at this stage of the season.

He said: “I think it was a really good workout for us. Of course the opening 5-10 minutes was disappointing and to find yourself two goals down isn’t helpful.

“But after that in the first half we had six or seven attempts at goal and you are really needing at least one of them to find the back of the net and go in.

“In the second half it was pretty level really. Overall it was difficult with us missing bodies at the moment, that was three of our defenders out.

“We had to ask a couple of midfielders to play in the backline which is never ideal. But it was a good test for us and that is what I wanted from pre-season. There are things we did well and things we didn’t do so well in each game and we have already worked on those things.

“A couple of players are still on holiday and we have a few niggles but no major injuries have come out of pre-season and that is a big positive. We’ve scored a lot of goals but conceded a few too so we need to some things better.”

New signing defender Edin Lynch managed 45 minutes against Max Christie’s side.