CUMNOCK fired blanks for the second week in a row on Saturday - but boss Brian McLuckie insisted there were plenty of positives from another 0-0 draw.

The Townhead Park side have yet to score this season and were guilty of passing up a series of gilt-edged chances in the stalemate with Clydebank at the weekend But McLuckie isn’t concerned and is convinced the solid defensive platform will ensure they start racking up the wins and goals over the coming weeks.

He said: “People will look at our lack of goals but I like to look at the positives and it’s certainly a positive that we aren’t conceding.

“Of course I can understand that fans will be worried by a our lack of goals. But Saturday was much better and we had two or three really good chances and their keeper has made some brilliant saves. If we had taken those chances we would have got the result we deserved.

“But, overall, I was much more pleased with how we played throughout the game. If we weren’t creating chances I’d be more worried.

“We just need one of them to go in and we’ll be off and running. I’ve no fears that the boys will come good on the goalscoring front.” Nock lacked goals last season and McLuckie looked to solve his striking problem by bringing in forwards Paul Quinn and Darren Mitchell.

Quinn hit four in the 16-0 goal Ardagh Glass romp over Muirkirk but has, as yet, failed to follow up his performances against lower-league opponents in the Premier League.

But McLuckie said: “We brought in the strikers to give us something different in attack and they will bring that - plus goals.

“Big Quinny is getting better and better every week and he’ll start banging goals in for us. He got the four against Muirkirk, although we need to be judged against better opponents, and has an eye for a goal.” McLuckie will be hoping Quinn and his team-mates can find their goalscoring touch when they travel to Kilbirnie this weekend.

The North Ayrshire side have lost both their opening matches - against Hurlford and Petershill - but have a good record over their East Ayrshire rivals.

McLuckie added: “We only took one point from six against them last season so we found them difficult opponents. They’ve not made the best of starts and will be determined to get off and running. We will be prepared for that and are desperate ourselves to get those first three points in the bag.” Robert Love and James Lundie both missed Saturday’s game and are doubtful for this week’s clash at Kilbirnie.