JOE BARCLAY reckons belief inside his Kilsyth Rangers dressing room is high but he also insists it’s a tad premature to talk of him and his team-mates being Super First Division title challengers.

More than a few eyebrows have been raised by Keith Hogg’s men heading up the standings – virtue of a better goals differential than Clydebank and Largs Thistle – after opening their campaign with three straight victories.

But experienced hitman Barclay, now in his second Duncansfield playing stint after short-lived spells with Ashfield and Petershill (where he broke his ankle), is keen to keep the lid on rising expectations ahead of Kilsyth undergoing the latest test of their mettle with a trip down to Ayrshire to face Kilwinning Rangers this coming weekend.

He said: “We don’t need to put any extra pressure on ourselves with talk of titles and promotion considering Saturday is only our fourth league game of the season.

“Best if we could go about things quietly and fly under the radar, however that is proving easier said than done on the back of the team starting away the season so well and scoring plenty of goals into the bargain.

“It’s not surprising that winning down at Cumnock with 10 men made people sit up and take notice of us because they are too big a club not to come good over the long haul and I fancy they will emerge as a main title contender along with a young Clydebank side boasting one of the best Junior managers around in Budgie McGhie.

“However, those of us who remain at Kilsyth from the team that finished in seventh place last season know how competitive this Division can be and our aim is to stay focused on picking up points from every game and see where it gets us.”

Asking the 27-year-old what turns a mid-table side into an early season frontrunner evoked a frank and totally unassuming response.

He admitted: “Hoggy brought in decent players during the close season in Ross Hepburn (Rossvale), Graham McLaren (Pollok) Willie Easton (Cambuslang Rangers), Paul Stewart (Arthurlie) and Andy Carlin (Irvine Meadow), with Carlin in particular a revelation on the pitch and a hugely influential character in the dressing room, so much so that he has been given the captain’s armband.

“Just as crucially the gaffer retained winger Nicky Prentice who has been in quite sensational form and I’m both surprised and delighted that someone with his abilities is still playing at Junior level.

“And another huge plus has been Paul McBride reacting to the added competition for the striker jerseys by regaining his goalscoring touch.”

Team boss Hogg has no hesitation in saying Barclay’s predatory instincts will be every bit as valuable over the coming months and has backed him to grab the goals to keep Kilsyth flying high in the table.

He insisted: “Joe was our top scorer last season with 18 goals and he’s looking a good bet to better that total with four to his name already.

“I don’t often single out individuals but he poses a real attacking threat to defences and as a result is one of the first names down on my team sheet even though Paul McBride and Paul 'Tiny' Stewart are also hitting the target regularly.

“Unfortunately Tiny’s work commitments don’t allow him to play every Saturday or else he might well be leading the scoring charts but he’s still making a telling contribution which is all that I can ask right now.”

The former Junior Scotland internationalist added: “I’m over the moon with how the guys have kicked off their season and their top-of-the-table position is a reward for a lot of hard work on the training ground.

“What’s been particularly pleasing is the fact we’ve come good despite a difficult start against clubs with a point to prove … promoted Bellshill Athletic and relegated Super Premier outfits Cumnock and Shotts Bon Accord.

“Another tough hurdle lies in wait on Saturday against the Buffs and we really need to be at the top of our game because I know from experience just how difficult it can be to overcome Ayrshire clubs in their own backyard.”

In other games, strong going Clydebank, whose striker Joel Kasabundi is scoring with great regularity, are strongly fancied to overcome Shotts at Hannah Park and fourth-placed Yoker are seeking to take advantage of Largs sitting idle (Ayrshire holiday weekend) by leapfrogging over them by virtue of a three-points haul from their Holm Park clash with Cumbernauld United.

Bellshill will look to get back on the rails at home to Blantyre Vics for whom experienced defender Alex Amos is unlikely to feature after being placed on the open to transfer list in midweek.