CRAIG McEwan praised his Glenafton Athletic players after a convincing 2-0 win over Cumnock.

Goals from David Gray and Chris Dallas see the Glens sit top of Ardagh Glass Sectional League Cup section four with nine points from nine.

The Glens boss felt they earned the result and said: "I thought we thoroughly deserved it to be honest with you. I thought the boys were great.

"After a shaky five minutes or so where Brian McGarrity had a right good save from them to be fair, I think that was the catalyst for us to wake up and I think the full first half we dominated.

"Our passages of play were great. I thought we were geting beyond, we were causing them problems, we were not letting them take the ball because they are good players.

"They are a good side and I genuinely believe that Cumnock will be up there this season challenging for things. It was a good performance."

Nock boss John McKeown agreed that Glenafton deserved the win after his side just didn't turn up.

McKeown told the Chronicle: "We were really, really poor tonight. It's probably the poorest we've been for a long time in terms of our play and how sloppy we were.

"Just everything about us tonight was just miles off it which is really disappointing when you are a week and a half away from the opening of the campaign.

"We've still got a few players to comeback and we're still seeing what players can give us. The boys who were here have raised the standards so much over the last year.

"Today was just miles away from what we expect from them. We just didn't get going.

"We need to go and try and win some games and get into winning habits again.

"Hopefully we can get the win [on Saturday], kick-on from there and get a bit of confidence going into the first league game.

"We've got Muirkir and then we've got Lugar. We can't disrespect anybody after the way we played.

"We need to really, really up our game."

A historic day awaits the Glens this saturday when they face Newton Stewart in the first preliminary round of the Scottish Cup and manager McEwan is well prepared.

He added: "We've had them watched twice. We know what they are about. I've spoken to several people and sone the right homework.

"I think it's going to be a tough game. We just need to make sure on Saturday that we don't get caught up in the occasion.

"It's going to be a historic day for Glenafton and we just need to make sure we go and do the business properly.

"I think that if we produce what we produced tonight in terms of our intensity, in terms of our work rate, in terms of the play we had, we will be fine to be honest with you."