Jimmy Thelin was pleased to see his team grab a first win of the season as they knocked Morton out of the Premier Sports Cup at Cappielow.

“If we talk about the first two games in the league, it has been not so bad a performance, but the results haven’t been there. In some parts, when we have the ball, we have to do better. I think the focus this week was to work on that ourselves, and I think we showed that today, with some better interactions and better timings on the pitch. I’m happy with that.

“In the cup, games are always difficult. We know that. You see it every year that some teams in the Premier League get knocked out by lower teams. My own experience when I was in Sweden, the cup games are always difficult, so it’s good to see the players take this responsibility because there’s a lot of supporters here today. They travel far away and they had a good reward. 

“You always have to be sharp and professional, and we are there now. We have to give 100% every game, because we have important games all the time, and now we have the play-off next game, so it’s also good to get the minutes into the team and prepare ourselves for the play-off. 

“It was good for Kusini to get his first goal. His performance overall today was better, with how he used his body. The link play, sometimes when they press us, how we can help the team to get out of pressing situations. He did this well. 

“Of course, it’s always nice for a striker to score goals, but it’s also because we arrived in a better way in different situations, with crosses or in behind to help our strikers. We have to arrive with more and more chances into the box to help our strikers also.

“I think the competition now inside the squad is in a good way. It puts pressure on everyone in a good way. They have to be sharp and they get the time. We have a lot of games, so I think that’s a good signal. If you don’t start, then you have to come on with that energy. 

“I think that’s important, and that’s what we’re going to need now this year. The competition has to be there. We have to support them, of course, but it’s also their ambition and their journey. With our support we can push them forward, but their inner motivation is so important.”