Airdrie may have opened their Premier Sports Cup group with a win against Premiership opposition, but Sean McGinty warns that Lowland League side Bonnyrigg Rose will require the same level of application.

Summer signing McGinty put in an imperious display on his competitive Airdrie debut, one of many solid performances which meant that Chris Mochrie’s 22nd-minute goal at Dens Park turned out to be the winner.

Speaking after the campaign opener, the big defender was understandably happy with the outcome.

“I’m delighted with the result, I think all the boys were fantastic.

“We really tried to implement a lot of the stuff that the gaffer’s put to us over the last few weeks building up to it.

“It couldn’t have gone any better, really.”

Attentions now turn to the visit of Johnny Stewart’s Bonnyrigg Rose, who dropped out of League 2 last season following a licensing-related points deduction.

The sides have met at this stage of the competition before, John O’Connor’s penalty handing Airdrie the points at New Dundas Park in July 2023.

While Bonnyrigg have since dropped back into the Lowland League, McGinty says there can’t be any complacency among the Diamonds squad.

“It’s really important that we prepare properly tomorrow, away from the club – make sure we eat right, we fuel up and come in on Monday ready to go on Tuesday night.

“After coming here and getting such a good result, we need to make sure we go and back that up now.

“We’ll obviously take the positives from today and try to improve again, and I think that if we go five or ten percent more, we should be comfortable. We’ve got to make sure that we turn up with the same attitude and the same workrate.

And having worn the captain’s armband in the absence of injury victims Aidan Wilson and Dean McMaster, Sean is the man responsible for making sure that the players on the pitch are fully focused on the task in hand.

He reiterates that Saturday’s result means nothing if Airdrie slip up on Tuesday.

“We’ve come here and we’ve done the hard bit – we’ve come to Dundee and won, so the next three games are really important.

“I’m sure that if we go about our business properly on Tuesday, and in the coming weeks, we should be in a very good position come the end of the group.

“It’s really exciting – we’ve done a great job today but obviously nothing’s done yet, so we look forward to Tuesday.”

Player-boss Rhys McCabe stresses that Tuesday’s preparations will be the same as those for any other fixture.

“We’re coming up against an opposition where we’re probably favourites and expected to win, but you’ve still got to make sure that you go and implement the gameplan.

“Coming off the back of a really good result and performance here, the last thing we want to do is take our foot off the gas and let things slip.

“We’re aware that it’ll be a tough evening, but it’s one that we’re looking forward to.”

The manager expects to have similar squad options to Saturday’s game, though defender Dylan MacDonald is available again after serving a one-match suspension.

Referee Greg Soutar took charge of two matches featuring Airdrie last season – October’s penalty shoot-out defeat to East Kilbride, and April’s 2-1 home victory over Partick Thistle.

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