Ross County manager Malky Mackay was thrilled to move within one victory of a Premier Sports Cup last-16 place with a 2-0 win over Alloa Athletic.
The Staggies triumphed against their League One opponents, with Josh Sims and Jordy Hiwula on target.
County will now progress from their group if they defeat East Fife at Victoria Park on Saturday.
Mackay said: “It’s good to get minutes into people’s legs. There were some there that needed it.
“I’m delighted to get the clean sheet. We managed to save the penalty – well done to our goalkeeper because that could have changed things and given Alloa a cause to hang on to after half-time.
“We scored a second goal to get the win that puts us top of this league.
“It was never going to be easy coming here. I know Brian Rice really well, he’s a good man with an encyclopaedic knowledge of football in this country.
“It was always going to be difficult, playing on this pitch as well. It’s one of those that could have been a real slip up for us.
“We didn’t, we won it and we go top of the group and we play East Fife on Saturday to go through to the last 16, which is something we couldn’t do last year.”
Mackay says care was needed to protect the players amid the high temperatures, with water breaks taking place midway through each half.
He added: “We’ve got to be very careful. Well done to the SPFL and referee for allowing the water breaks. Common sense was attached to that, because that was tough.
“Players will lose half a stone in weather like that. To allow fluids back into them was the common sense aspect for both teams.”
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