Jim McInally feels Peterhead are finally able to get some stability after a tumultuous start to the season.
The Blue Toon had been beset by injury issues and player shortages during pre-season, which had led McInally to call for the club to “batten down the hatches”.
But with four new signings through the door and the return from injury of experienced defender Ryan Strachan, the picture is looking slightly rosier at Balmoor.
The club has still yet to record a victory in the campaign to date, with their only point coming in the 2-2 draw with Clyde.
But McInally feels with the stability the team now has, results should start to come for Peterhead.
“We were making it up as we went along to a certain extent but now we can try to settle down,” said McInally. “Even though boys are not match-fit, like Jason Brown, we’ve got to play them and get them through to get them up to speed.
“It’ll just be good to get a bit of stability as once we get that, we’ll get better performances.
“The senior players who have been playing have had to take the burden of carrying a team that hasn’t got a bench. Hopefully we’ve got everything out of the road now, with having competition for places. We just need to up performances.”
Max Gillies is one of those new recruits, having joined on loan from Queen’s Park, along with Dundee loan pair Jack Wilkie and Ewan Murray and former Partick Thistle youngster Robbie Scullion.
Gillies spoke yesterday about his desire to use his loan at Peterhead to further his Spiders career and McInally has been impressed by his impact so far.
“He’s done really well since he’s come in and will only get better with games,” said McInally. “He’s got good attributes, good pace and I’m delighted with him.
“Jack and Ewan were thrown in a wee bit last Saturday but it was good to get them amongst the boys.”
Queen of the South are the visitors to Balmoor today – a third full-time opponent for the Blue Toon in four games.
“We know Queens have got good players,” added McInally. “Connor Murray, Gavin Reilly, we know we need to stop these guys.
“That’s what we didn’t do last week with Callumn Morrison and he was the one that killed us.”
Peterhead will have Jason Brown back available after a head knock, but Andy McCarthy, Hamish Ritchie and Russell McLean remain out.
