JOHNSTONE Burgh boss Jamie McKim praised his players for a “perfect start” to the season after they secured a 3-0 win at Bonnyton Thistle.

The Keanie Park team stunned their hosts on Saturday, with two goals from Brian Connor in the opening eight minutes paving the way for a comfortable victory in the first round of league fixtures.

Connor found the bottom corner from the edge of the box before doubling his tally by reacting quickly to knock the ball home from close range.

Kieran Brophy wrapped things up in the closing stages with a strike from distance to send the Johnstone side to the top of the First Division.

McKim admits he would have liked more goals but accepts that picking up three points was the main objective.

He told Gazette Sport: “With the goals, a clean sheet and three points, it was a great start.

“The team bonding on Saturday was great as well, with it being the first game, a wee bus journey away and a couple of drinks after for the players together.

“It was the perfect start, so we need to try and build on it.

“There are always elements you can improve on and my only gripe at the moment is we’re playing well for spells in games and they aren’t long enough.

“I felt we finished the game in the first 15 minutes on Saturday and then took our foot off the gas and relaxed, when I thought we could have gone on and punished Bonnyton further.

“We blew them away initially and it could have been anything we wanted but I can’t grumble too much.”

Burgh face a tough test this Saturday as they welcome one of the teams relegated from the Premier Division last season.

Kilbirnie Ladeside make the journey to Keanie Park from Ayrshire and McKim is backing his players to show they are ready to achieve great things in the 2022/23 campaign.

He added: “Kilbirnie will be a huge test for us but I have full belief in my players.

“I think we have a really talented group that can achieve whatever they want to this year, it’s just a question of how much they want it.

“In our first four games we’ve got three teams who have been relegated and that’s a really tough start for us.”

Kick-off on Saturday is at 2pm.