Ross County manager Malky Mackay was highly encouraged by the ruthlessness shown by his side in the 7-0 triumph over East Fife.
County produced a commanding win over their League Two opponents, which booked their place in the last-16 of the Premier Sports Cup.
All seven of the Staggies’ goals were netted by summer signings, with Owura Edwards and Kazeem Olaigbe netting doubles, along with strikes by Victor Loturi, Ben Purrington and Jordy Hiwula.
Mackay says sharpening up County’s clinical edge has been a key focus ahead of the new season, and he is thrilled with the array of options he feels can contribute to the Dingwall side’s firepower this term.
Mackay said: “I’m really happy with some of the goals we scored in terms of balls flashing across the six-yard box and people coming flying in.
“It was one of the wee bug-bears of mine last year that we didn’t do that well enough in terms of the final quality of that ball and people arriving to meet it.
“It was really pleasing as far as a lot of the new guys are concerned. We were hitting a really high level.
“They are all mobile, but they all have something slightly different – and that’s the key.
“There has obviously been huge change last year and firefighting to bring a group together.
“I’d suggest this year we’ve refined the group and we have real threats.
“I look at my bench and players like David Cancola who never got on the bench.
“There are options coming off the bench that are as strong as what’s coming off the pitch.”
County led by two goals at the break, before netting five further strikes within 20 minutes of the restart.
Mackay was pleased by his side’s relentlessness, adding: “I challenged them at half-time not to get fed up doing the correct things.
“For about five minutes before we scored the goal, we were a wee bit sloppy.
“Once we scored, we re-set and got back on it for the last 15 minutes of the first half.
“We said if they kept doing the correct things in the second half, it would open up and obviously they did.”
Mackay is hopeful wingers Josh Sims and debutant William Akio will be able to shake off knocks which forced them to be withdrawn.
He added: “Josh just got a kick in his calf, so hopefully he will be OK.
“William just opened his knee as he went to went to cross one of the ball, so we will keep an eye on that and see what actually has happened there.”
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