Aidan Connolly laid down a marker for the season ahead with an opening-day hat-trick for Raith Rovers against Stirling Albion.
But the winger accepts not even such prolific goal-scoring form might be enough to avoid Ian Murray’s squad rotation in the coming months.
Connolly twice timed runs to perfection to give Raith a 2-0 half-time lead in the Premier Sports Cup curtain-raiser at Forthbank.
After just 16 minutes, he ghosted into the box to knock in a low Lewis Stevenson centre after the full-back had combined brilliantly with Dylan Easton.
Eight minutes later, it was Callum Smith with the assist from the left as Connolly was rewarded for attacking the back-post area.
A swerving, dipping free-kick completed the 28-year-old’s treble – only the second of his career – 20 minutes after the break as Rovers eased to a comfortable 3-0 victory.
He was later replaced by Josh Mullin as Murray utilised his options from the bench, including Jack Hamilton and new boys Kai Montagu and Lewis Gibson.
And, with Lewis Vaughan still to come back from a groin problem, Connolly is readying himself for a campaign of personal ups and downs in pursuit of the team’s end goals.
“I played on Saturday and I was happy to be playing,” Connolly told Courier Sport. “But it’s a squad game and there’s going to be rotation throughout the season.
‘Such a good squad’ at Stark’s Park
“We’ve got a lot of good players and a good squad, so that’s the way it’s going to be.
“Whoever’s coming on for you is just as good as you going off.
“The team’s not getting weakened. No matter who’s coming on the pitch is going to be a good player.
“As a player, you want to be playing in every game but we’ve got such a good squad.
“There’s nothing you can do, the manager’s going to use everyone.
“We all have different qualities and he’s going to use different players for different games, and that’s the way it is.
“You’ve got to accept it and get on with it.
“There’s going to be injuries and problems along the way, and there’s going to be rotation – probably more so in the forward areas.
“I’ve been in football long enough. You have the highs but there’s always a low coming around the corner.
Hard yards help Connolly
“You just need to be grounded and move on.”
Connolly got the nod to start after impressing in training in the build-up to the Group H opener.
Wind the clock back 12 months and the former Dundee United wide man was still recovering from an ankle injury.
He is hopeful that being able to complete the hard yards with the rest of the squad this summer will benefit him in the coming months.
“Last year, I missed the pre-season and I always think a pre-season is so important for a player,” he added.
“Sometimes when you miss it you’re always playing catch-up and it’s difficult.
“That’s no excuse though. Last season I was in and fit enough later on in the season.
“But having the pre-season definitely helps.”
