Paul Hartley will not get carried away with Cove Rangers’ League One standing after an impressive return to action against Partick Thistle.
Mitch Megginson equalised late on to cancel out Joe Cardle’s goal, which keeps Cove in the top three in League One.
It was their first game in more than 10 weeks – since the 3-2 Scottish Cup win over Alloa Athletic – and Cove merited a point against the Jags.
With six games to go before the split and his side in a promising position, Hartley will be keeping his and his players’ feet on the ground.
He said: “We’ve never ever said we’re title challengers. We’ve always said about staying in the league as best we can.
“Try and play the style we know we can and see where the results take us.
“Who knows what’s going to happen over the next 10 games.
“We’ve been off for 10-and-a-half weeks, so you’re going to get funny results and have to use the squad as best you can.
“Whatever happens at the end of the season, I’ll be proud of the players.”
The first half of Saturday’s game was a relatively cagey, disciplined affair, with few chances either side and neither goalkeeper forced into any meaningful saves.
It was the second half where the game sprang into life, with Blair Yule denied a close-range finish by a Thistle defender after some positive work from Jamie Masson.
Cardle gave the home side the lead with a well-taken finish, shimmying inside Adam Livingstone and drilling a shot through goalkeeper Stuart McKenzie.
Yule was required to clear a Cardle cross off the line and Mouhamed Niang spurned a chance for a second, before Megginson collected a Fraser Fyvie pass to deliver a well-taken equaliser and ensure the visitors left with a point.
© SNS Group
Hartley said: “We were really good. Even going a goal down I was delighted with the character the players showed.
“It’s a hard place to come and is our first game in 10 weeks.
“I don’t know what people are expecting of these games after 10 weeks off. We’ve been thrown right back into it with two weeks’ training. Players can only do their best.
“It’s a good point for us after going a goal down. Thistle are one of the favourites to go up, being full-time. We’ve shown we’re a match for anybody in this league.”
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