Queen of the South sit proudly at the top of the Championship after wins over Alloa and Dumbarton, with six goals scored and none conceded.
Their fine start will be put to the test by a Livingston side they already know well - and will know even better come Tuesday night.
The Doonhamers started 2014/15 with a 4-3 extra time defeat from the Lions in the Petrofac Training Cup. Not only will they be looking to redress the balance for that game, they will be aiming to give Livingston plenty to think about ahead of their third meeting of the season in the Scottish League Cup in midweek.
Livingston head for Palmerston with three points on the board following their 2-1 success over Cowdenbeath last Saturday. They dumped Hearts out of the Petrofac Training Cup on Wednesday to set up a quarter-final tie at Peterhead.
McIntyre said: “I watched Livingston in midweek and, while Hearts had made 10 changes, they still had a strong side out and Livingston deserve great credit for their 4-1 win.
“They moved the ball about really well and scored some very good goals so we are well warned. Hearts had them under pressure when it was 1-0 and they came through that and they will take confidence from it.
“I would imagine their manager John McGlynn is like me and would prefer to have the games between us a bit more spread out. However, that is the way things work out sometimes with cups so you just get on with it.
“They turned us over in the first game despite us having a two-goal lead and we will be looking to make up for that and get another win.”
Even if win number three is achieved, no-one in Dumfries will be getting carried away, with McIntyre saying: “Winning nine points out of nine would be a fabulous start for us but not one we can rest on.
“The aim was to get off to a good start but I believe that you look at things at the end of the first quarter to determine what kind of start you have made. Two wins out of two is a good start and while three wins out of three is better we will not be calling it a great start.”
He added: “The team were excellent in the win at the Bet Butler Stadium in a game that was played in horrendous windy conditions. We adapted to them well and played well, with the players being hot in front of goal.
“We have to move on and we will do that by taking things one game at a time, so the games against Livingston either before or after are not relevant to this one. You want the boost of a win but you want that for any game.”
Queens go into the match with five players out injured - Stephen McKenna is not ready to return after hip surgery and Chris Mitchell, Paul Burns, Mark Kerr and Michael Paton are also sidelined.
Craig Stewart
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