Dundee United head coach Tam Courts says he feels confident heading into the new league season after their perfect start in the Premier Sports Cup.
United downed East Fife 1-0 at New Bayview last night, thanks to a first-half Peter Pawlett strike, to make it four wins from four in the cup.
The Tangerines have topped Group B and progress to the last 16 of the competition for the first time since 2017.
Although their wins have come against lower league opposition – the Fifers, Kelty Hearts, Elgin and Arbroath – the Terrors gaffer has seen enough to suggest they can take their form into the Premiership.
United kick things off with a trip to Pittodrie next Sunday to face Aberdeen.
‘It gives me confidence ahead of the league campaign’
“I’m absolutely delighted to get through the group,” Courts said.
“The performance had a lot of really pleasing aspects, particularly in the first half.
“In the second half, you could see signs of fatigue because we’re working them hard.
“They’re responding well to the way we want to play so it gives me confidence ahead of the league campaign.
“In every single game we’ve faced a test but we’ve come out on top in all of them.
“Even though we’ve been against lower-league teams, the boys have applied themselves terrifically in this competition.”
Pawlett performance pleases boss
Courts reserved special praise for Pawlett, who has scored two goals in three games so far this season, and was pleased with how the Terrors took their winner as a team.
The Tangerines gaffer added: “I’m really pleased for Peter because that’s two goals he’s scored with lung-busting runs.
“We thought we could hurt them on the counter-attack because they like to commit men forward and run off the big boy (Shaun) Brown.
“It was an intentional ploy for us and Peter executed it well.”