Matthew Cooper feels Elgin City have shown they can live with the League Two big-boys.
With promotions aspirations of their own, Elgin have come away frustrated from 1-0 defeats to Edinburgh City and Queen’s Park, two sides expected be title-challengers this season.
Elgin have been in League Two for the entirety of their time in the SPFL, since they and Peterhead made the jump up to the senior ranks in 2000.
They have been play-off participants in the past but Cooper reckons their performances against Ray McKinnon’s side and the Edinburgh club have shown they can compete at the top end of the table.
He said: “We’ve got a good squad here and have played together for a few years now. Queen’s Park and Edinburgh weren’t going to be easy games but it wouldn’t be long ago they’d be thinking it would be a definite three points coming up to Elgin.
“The cup competitions have been a great opportunity to play League One and Championship sides and see how you would fare against them. We’ve had a lot of good results in the cups against League One sides.
“It’s a very tough league (League Two) and with investment there, there’s always a couple of clubs who go for it every year, pumping money in.
“We’ve got to be aiming right up there and win those games where there’s nothing in it. Things are improving so there’s no reason why this year can’t be it.”
Elgin won their opening two league games against Stranraer and Brechin City, while beating this weekend’s opponents Stirling Albion and Montrose in the Betfred Cup.
Their defeats in the capital and at home to Queen’s Park were followed by cup defeats to Ross County and Arbroath.
The way the black and whites have responded to losing striker Shane Sutherland, who departed for Caley Thistle in the summer, has impressed Cooper.
Smart Osadolor, who joined the club in January from Albion Rovers, has taken on a more prominent role, while manager Gavin Price has brought in Joel MacBeath and Josh Peters to strengthen his forward options.
He added: “It was a big loss coming into the season and how we were going to replace that. But the boys have picked up brilliantly.
“There’s good options up there and you see in training every week they’re all fired up, as the manager can only play two of them.
“Kane (Hester) is missing this weekend, which is a blow as he’s started the season on fire but it’s a chance for someone else to step in.”
