NATHAN AUSTIN paid tribute to his team-mates for helping him net a hat-trick on Saturday after revealing he has recovered from COVID-19.

The Kelty Hearts hitman took his tally for the season to nine in all competitions against Albion Rovers, ensuring his team returned from Coatbridge with a 3-0 win to maintain their place at the top of the table.

The 27-year-old missed the team's opening two SPFL League Two games, as well as the win at Stenhousemuir at the end of August, and told his club's media channel afterwards: "To be honest, I wasn't feeling that great.

"I just had COVID, and I've got the flu, so it was kind of like a double whammy, but the team helped me because people maybe saw I wasn't moving as well as I usually would.

"I managed to get into the positions to get the goals and help the team, and that's the most important thing is helping the team. I think I did that.

"We're buzzing with the games just now, especially when you're on a good run you just want the games to keep coming."

He added: "When you go away and you can score three goals it's good, and to keep a clean sheet as well. Overall I think we're happy with the performance.

"There's bits we can work on like there always is, but overall we're really chuffed with the performance and the win."

Assistant manager, Kevin MacDonald, said that new signing Kieran Ngwenya - who joined last week on loan from Aberdeen, on the same day that striker Cammy Russell left for Spartans - had pulled out of the starting line-up following a groin strain in the warm-up, but hoped another Dons loanee, Connor Barron, would be back to face Stranraer after injury.

Alfredo Agyeman, who suffered concussion against Elgin City, is set for a return, while it is hoped that skipper Michael Tidser will be fit enough to be in contention for a starting berth.

"It feels like, since the start of the season, we've not been able to pick the same team," MacDonald commented.

"The gaffer keeps speaking about how we need to be all in, and that we need to rely on each other. Maybe in the past teams have come up with 12 or 13 players, but you need a squad to get to the level where we want to be.

"We knew Albion Rovers would be a tough place to go, because of the pitch and whatever else. We'd seen reports that they fancied it, and would have the fans behind them, and we're becoming a bit of a scalp for teams.

"We probably are because we've got players on the pitch who have played at a higher level, the start we've had, and that the manager is a name himself.

"We only had two subs; we've been down to the bare bones over the last few weeks, and the players deserve a lot of credit for that."