FRASER DUNCAN praised his Sauchie side for their ruthlessness as their excellent start to the season continued.

Saturday’s 6-1 defeat of Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale means the Reds are now unbeaten in their opening four games.

Goals from Jack Docherty, Danny Smith and Danny Connor, combined with a Ross Kavanagh hat-trick, moved Sauchie to third in the table.

Duncan told Advertiser Sport: “Good result, the boys done well. We knew it was going to be a tough one, all games are tough.

“We did change the shape slightly. It was a great result. It just showed that the team’s fitness levels [are high], we just kept getting stronger and stronger as the game went on.”

Kavanagh’s three goals continue a blistering start to the season and Duncan explained to the striker that’s exactly what he needs.

He said: “I spoke to Kav, we had a good chat in the summer and I told him what my intentions were for him.

"I think he’s had a career where he’s been a striker then he was moved out wide because he’s quick.

“What I said to him was I need that ruthless striker that’s going to get me 30 goals this season and, to be fair, he’s not made a bad start to it.

"On Saturday he was outstanding and it’s great because the boys around him are doing so much, it must be a striker’s dream the way we’re playing at the minute.”

Saturday’s scoresheet also showed there are goals from all over the park, which is another pleasing aspect of this side for Duncan.

“You always need that in a team,” he continued. “Danny [Smith] chips in with his goals Jack Docherty chips in with goals, Morgy [Brian Morgan] chips in with goals.

“The [other] good thing for me is young Danny Connor who came on loan from East Kilbride scored on Saturday as well.

“We’ve got a really, really strong squad of 22-23 players. It’s just hard keeping them all happy because all the guys want to play every week and they’re good enough to play every week. What’s excellent for me is I can take guys out the team and we’ve got cover for every position. Managing it and keeping everybody happy is the hardest bit but I’m not going to moan too much about it.”

Sauchie’s start to the season – unbeaten in four, three wins, 16 goals scored, third in the table – is a million miles away from their poor start to last season.

Duncan said: “I think it’s down to the guys getting another year with each other. The guys are now understanding exactly how we want them to play. We’re a year older, we’re a year together and we want to continue to be ruthless.

“We just need to keep that bit at the other end where we want to be hard to beat. We just need to keep working hard.”

This weekend Duncan’s side host Linlithgow Rose and the manager insists there’s no pressure on his side.

He said: “Saturday will be another big one but the pressure’s completely off us. Linlithgow are the team that have went away and rebuilt this season. There’s never any pressure on us when we play Linlithgow Rose and that’s what we tell the boys.

“We went to their park last year and beat them so there’s no reason we can’t dig in, play our game and, in all honesty, the pressure’s on them to break us down and get the three points.”