Paul McColl reckons his Cambuslang Rangers side’s 6-0 bashing of Vale of Clyde in midweek is the perfect answer to early-season critics.

The Lang had lost all three of their pre-season friendly outings going into the Sectional League Cup opener with near neighbours Vale.

But goals a brace from from Thomas “Deco” Kilmartin and individual strikes from Harry Mitchell, Craig Hastings, Jordan Morton and Calum McRobbie put the smiles back on the faces of Somervell Park supporters.

His players have the opportunity to build on their dream start when hosting the visit of East Kilbride Thistle tomorrow.

However, if McColl is feeling confident of chalking up back-to-back wins, he wasn’t showing it when looking ahead to the clash last night.

He said: "I didn’t look upon us as a bad lot after our friendly match defeats and neither do I now believe we are the finished article after beating the Tin Pail.

“The guys actually played some decent stuff pre-season only to be undone by some horrendous blunders and it wasn’t pleasing to see us losing in the manner we did - particularly down at Cumnock - but there were never going to be any panic measures on our part.

“We simply worked with the players to iron out the faults and asked them to play to their abilities and isn’t it just football that they responded with a clean sheet and the biggest winning margin of the opening night.

“And this victory was against a very good Vale of Clyde team who could and should have scored a few goals themselves but for the breaks going our way.

“But up next is East Kilbride Thistle and by all accounts they were very unfortunate to lose out 2-1 to Blantyre Vics on Wednesday night so my players cannot take anything for granted and must play at the top of our game again …or else.”

Two-goal hitman Kilmartin, Jamie Hay and Dale Simeone are likely non-starters tomorrow.

However, such is Cambuslang’s strength in depth this season that McColl is able to call on the likes of John Gemmell, Hal Bohme, Paul Hewitt and Liam Gormley who were all posted missing in midweek

The team boss added: "Having such quality replacements at my beck and call is a source of great satisfaction and what pleases me even more is knowing the guys coming in will be pulling out all the stops to try and hang onto the jerseys.

“Another absentee on Wednesday was our regular goalkeeper Ian Stewart, which posed us a problem as we lack cover between the sticks.

"However, Alan Colquhoun, formerly of Rutherglen Glencairn and Shotts Bon Accord, stepped in at the last moment and it’s no exaggeration to say he was outstanding… at 47 years of age.

“Alan used his great experience to talk our defenders through difficult situations and came up with several terrific saves when Vale of Clyde threatened to score so I will have no hesitation in asking him to do us a turn again against Thistle.

“They say goalkeepers don’t peak until into their thirties so there’s no denying Alan is well into his prime however he has the makings of an asset to any team on Wednesday’s showing.”

McColl laughed off reports that he is planning to deploy much travelled hitman Gemmell in a defensive role this season.

He said: "John played in central defence up at Dundonald when we were short of bodies and I’ve no doubt he could play at the back if needed but he still has a lot to offer at the other end of the pitch .

“I’m confident he and our other forward going players will get goals so this team will do well if we can just tighten up at the back because make no mistake East Kilbride Thistle will ask questions of us tomorrow.”

Former Jags players Hastings and Adam Boyle will be determined to help the Wee Gers do well against their old team as will Thistle’s promotion winning manager from last season Billy Campbell who is now on McColl’s backroom team.

The remaining Section Four has the luckless Vale of Clyde awaiting the visit to Tollcross of strongly fancied Rutherglen Glencairn whose highest league team placing has Willie Harvey’s men tipped to qualify for the Quarter Finals where the pairings are section 7 v Section 2, Section 1 v Section 5, Section 4 v Section 3 , Section 6 v Section 8

Rob Roy got the defence of their Sectional League Cup away to a winning start last night with a hard fought 1-0 victory over a battling Dunipace .

Seasoned striking pair Willie Sawyers and Kevin Watt were paired up front for the Rabs in the Guys Meadow encounter and it was Watt who netted the only goal of the game with a second half header 

PLAYING TOMORROW: (Kick-offs 2pm)

Central Sectional League Cup. Section

One. Lanark Utd v Forth Wanderers, Lesmahagow v Larkhall Thistle.

Section Two: Newmains Utd v Wishaw, Shotts Bon Accord v Gartcairn.

Section Three: Petershill v Shettleston, Thorniewood Utd v St Roch's.

Section Four: Cambuslang Rangers v East Kilbride Thistle,Vale of Clyde v Rutherglen Glencairn.

Section Five: Arthurlie v Neilston, Benburb v St Anthony's.

Section Six: Yoker Athletic v Ashfield, Maryhill v Glasgow Perthshire.

Section Seven: Greenock v Port Glasgow, Vale of Leven v Renfrew.

Section Eight: Dunipace v Rossvale, Kilsyth Rangers v Rob Roy.

Ardagh Glass Sectional League Cup. Section One. Kilwinning Rangers v Dalry Thistle, Largs Thistle v Kilbirnie Ladeside

Ardrossan Winton Rovers v Beith.

Section Two: Ardeer Thistle v Irvine Meadow, Irvine

Vics v Saltcoats Vics, Hurlford Utd v Darvel.

Section Three: Annbank Utd v Whitletts Vics, Craigmark v Maybole, Troon v Girvan.

Section Four: Cumnock v Auchinleck Talbot, Muirkirk v Glenafton, Kello Rovers v Lugar Boswell.