McGlynn says Raith Rovers have laid down a marker after beating Peterhead

The Stark’s Park side were on easy street for almost the whole 90 minutes of the Betfred Cup Group D tie and ran out 3-1 winners, though the margin of victory could have been higher.

Peterhead will face Rovers in League One this season after winning promotion last year, and McGlynn says the win was important as the first day of the league season approaches,

“For me it sets down a marker,” he said.

“We did what Inverness and Dundee couldn’t do in this group – we beat Peterhead.

“We made a statement, that’s what we had to do.

“We didn’t want people to think that they were going to come here and Raith Rovers were going to be a soft touch and we certainly showed that wasn’t going to be the case.

McGlynn says the victory was a “big win” after two disappointing results against Dundee and Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the group.

“There were loads and loads of positives to take,” he said.

“We had a couple of really tough games against Dundee and Inverness who paid us the ultimate respect by the way they went about their business in those particular games.

“But I knew the ability that we have in that squad and (against Peterhead) the football was fantastic.

“It could probably have been a bit more than 3-1 because we opened them up on many occasions.

“So, I’m really delighted for the players because they’ve been hurting after the two defeats that we had taken, but they responded with a fantastic footballing performance.”

Rovers’ defence, which had looked shaky at set pieces in the first two group ties and had also shipped seven goals, was also much improved.

It’s something McGlynn acknowledged.

“When you lose goals from set plays it’s always a bit frustrating,” he said.

“But we didn’t do that.

“That’s pleasing.

“It would have been pleasing to get a clean sheet too, but we made a wee mistake at the end.

“I don’t want to dwell on that though, because there are so many positives to take.”

The Betfred Cup group stage comes to a close on Saturday, as will Rovers’ participation, due to them being unable to catch either Inverness or Dundee. McGlynn says his side will need to be at their best when they travel to take on bottom of the table Cove Rangers.

He said: “We won’t be taking Cove lightly by any manner of means.

“They scored two goals at Inverness (on Tuesday), that says a lot about them.

“I was told the other day that the bookies have made them red hot favourites for League Two, which is incredible and I think we have to recognise that.

“People do think that they’re going to win that league.

“They’ve just come up from the Highland League, beating a Lowland League team in a play off and then beating Berwick Rangers in another.

“I think that’s a statement so by no means is it going to be an easy game.

“They’ve certainly got a bit about them so we’re going to have to be at it.”