NEW Irvine Meadow manager Jamie McKim has credited "the basics" for a positive start to his reign in North Ayrshire.
The Meadow Park boss says his players have responded well to his methods since he entered the hotseat last month.
After dropping from the Premier Division last season, and having got off to a poor start in this First Division campaign, many felt Irvine Meadow were at risk of successive West of Scotland relegations when Ben Carson departed the club at the start of 2025.
But McKim looks to have other ideas with his appointment proving to be a catalyst for a turnaround in fortunes.
Meadow have won each of their four matches since the former Johnstone Burgh boss took the reins - and have climbed out of the relegation zone in the process.
McKim will look to extend the run in this Saturday’s (February 15) massive Scottish Junior Cup match against Pollok at Meadow Park (2.30pm KO).
His first game in charge was a 4-2 win at home to West Calder United in the fourth round of the competition - one which he hopes the team can progress in this weekend.
McKim said: “I have real confidence in the work we have done so far, so I will be looking for us to take the game to Pollok on Saturday and be on the front foot.
“I don’t want anybody coming to Meadow Park and having an easy time, so hopefully we can make it difficult for them, impose ourselves on the game and get a result.”
Heading into the fixture in fine form, McKim credited a simple solution in aiding his side's progress.
He added: “My priority when coming in was to get the players to do the basics well and give them a simple plan to follow, to hopefully help us win more games.
“The players have responded and are following the plan exactly how I had hoped, I’m delighted with their response so far and we are getting our rewards.”
Now, it feels like the only way is up for Meadow, but McKim is refusing to get carried away and remaining realistic about the situation.
“When I came in, we were third bottom and quite a few points from the team above," he said.
"My priority was always to secure safety, stabilise and then improve us moving forward.
“We want to finish as high as we can this season, but our approach will always be focusing on winning a game at a time and to win as many as we can.”
Should Meadow be victorious on Saturday, the cup excitement will intensify, with the prize of a quarter-final tie away to Johnstone Burgh.
McKim said: “At this moment in time, only Lewis Neilson is injured, we have a couple nursing knocks, but everyone else should be available for selection, other than Ross McKenzie who is cup-tied.”
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