St Andrews United plan to hit the ground running

United start the campaign with back to back home fixtures, the first coming against Heriot Watt on Saturday before Oakley visit on Wednesday night.

The Barnetts Park boss said: “We need to get off to a good start.

“Heriot Watt will be well organised, but sometimes you don’t know what you’re going to come up against with the students not being back.

“It’s difficult to gauge, so we just have to think about ourselves.

“They finished just above us last season so we know it’ll be a tight game.”

United go into the season on the back of a 1-1 friendly draw away to Highland League club Nairn County.

“It was a game we should have won,” said the manager.

“Like the Hill of Beath friendly, we played really well.

“We had an awful spell against Broughty but then were camped out in their half the whole of the second half.

“Pre-season has been good and we’ve played some decent sides.”

Owen Andrews and Keir MaCaulay have joined on loan from Kelty Hearts ahead of the season.