Andrew McDonald believes Peterhead need to be clinical at both ends as they look to return to winning ways.
The Blue Toon face East Fife at Bayview having taken only one point from their last three League One fixtures.
Defender McDonald believes defensive mistakes at one end combined with a scarcity of goals at the other are the reasons behind that run.
The 22-year-old said: “I think we possibly need to create more chances, but we also need to cut out the errors that are costing us goals.
“I think at both ends of the pitch we need to be a bit sharper.
“We need to create more chances and score goals, and not concede the daft goals that we have recently.
“It feels like we’ve been shooting ourselves in the foot a wee bit and you can’t afford to do that.
“Clean sheets are vital and as a defender that’s what I look for in every game.
“I haven’t had too many of them (one in five games), so it’s something we need to do more, because – if you keep a clean sheet – it gives you a better chance of getting three points.”
Since joining Peterhead in January, McDonald has played alongside Jason Brown in central defence in all of his Blue Toon appearances.
The former Elgin City stopper believes he and Brown have the makings of a solid partnership.
McDonald added: “I think we’ve done not bad together. We’ve only played a few games, but I feel if we get a good run at it then we can develop a good partnership.
“I think we work quite well together. In a partnership, I think you need to complement each other and I feel me and Jason can do that.
“Hopefully we can get a good run going together and form a solid partnership.
“We’re both still young players and the more games we play the more we’ll get used to each other and hopefully improve together as a pair.”
East Fife are unbeaten at home in eight league outings this season.
Peterhead take on Darren Young’s side looking for a victory to keep alive hopes of a top-five finish when League One splits next week and also move further clear of the relegation zone.
McDonald said: “Every game in this league is a tough game and that’s what I expect again, but hopefully we can go there and get a positive result.
“East Fife have got a good home record, so, if we were able to go there and get a win, I think that would be good for everyone’s confidence going into the run-in.”
Ryan Conroy is out with a hamstring problem, while long-term absentees Alan Cook and Gary Fraser remain sidelined.
