Stoneywood Dyce will continue to ride the wave of player absences and end their poor run of form, says player-coach Jan Stander.
Their early-season winning streak has given way to five straight defeats amid a struggle to get a settled 11 out on a weekend.
Captain Jamie King returned from a month out with a hip injury last weekend, but Stoneywood Dyce were without experienced batter Lennard Bester, all-rounder George Ninan, seamer David Kidd and wicket-keeper Andrew MacLaren in the eight-run defeat at Falkland.
Bester started the season in imperious form, but is currently in South Africa, while Stander himself will be unavailable for the visit of basement club Arbroath United this weekend. Shaun Coetzer is expected to step into the line-up.
“It’s difficult at the moment,” said Stander. “We’re struggling to get the same 11 out to have that continuity and making sure everyone knows their roles.
“Lennard being away is key – he’s had a big impact – and when you’re missing other senior players like George, it makes it harder.
“It does give the younger players exposure and hopefully they’re better for it next year. I’m pretty hopeful we’re going to be safe after the good start we had and when we’re at full-strength, we can take on any team.
“We’re amateurs, so that’s where the difficulty is. Travelling starts to take its toll, people have got families. It’s easy to forget we’re just 11 amateurs trying our best.
“It’s frustrating, but I try (to) keep it in perspective. If we keep developing players – we’ve still got Michael Leask and Kyle Coetzer playing for Scotland who’ve come through our system – then that’s what’s important.
“Arbroath will probably take a bit of confidence from the fact they beat us in a T20 last Sunday, which is dangerous. We’ve had a good chat about it and hopefully the guys can pull together.
“Winning becomes a habit, the same way losing becomes a habit. We need to turn the tables quick.”
No time for slip-ups at Aberdeenshire
Meanwhile, Kenny Reid insists there’s no margin for error in Aberdeenshire’s pursuit of the North-East Championship.
The league leaders are just half-a-percent ahead of Meigle at the summit and face Freuchie at Freuchie Park tomorrow.
With seven games remaining, captain Reid says the men from Mannofield can’t afford to slip up.
He said: “There is no margin for error, it seems to be that every time we win, Meigle do the same.
“Huntly are also on a good run and won at Freuchie last week – if ourselves and Meigle were to slip up, they’re in a position to capitalise as well.
“We’ve got to be wary of complacency and make sure we perform as well as we can.
“We’ve got seven league games and we’re in the position we want to be, albeit by a very small margin.
“But we just need to concentrate and if we can win the next seven games we’ll finish top of the league.
“It’s one game at a time and concentrate week by week on trying to put in the performance that will win us that game.”
Elsewhere in the North-East championship, third-placed Huntly will try to sustain their title challenge against winless Dundee HSFPs at Dalnacraig.
Stoneywood-Dyce 2nds face Arbroath United 2nds at Lochlands and Gordonians have a free weekend.
Grade 1 sides fight on two fronts
In the Aberdeenshire Grades, Crescent – the Grade 1 leaders – face a season-defining weekend which could see them strengthen their position in the top league.
They could also advance to the final of the Aberdeenshire Cup, the most prestigious award in north-east cricket.
Captain Nathan Thangaraj was optimistic and yet guarded about Saturday’s game at home to Inverurie and Sunday’s cup tie at Groats Road where they meet 2nd Knight Riders.
He said: “We are, for the first time this season, seriously weakened due to holidays and guys off to watch England play India.
“Inverurie are always good opponents, especially with Trevor Norval in such good form with the bat.
“In the cup, 2nd Knight Riders will be strong opponents on their own ground.”
Second-placed Bon Accord are also on duty twice at the weekend, making their own league and cup double bid.
According to captain Tauqeer Malik, they will be well up to the challenges facing them at Allan Park, where they meet fourth-placed Cults on Grade 1 business, and at Countesswells, where they meet last season’s cup finalists Gordonians.
“They are both difficult games, but we intend to make progress in both competitions,” said Malik, who has a track record of leading the Bons to league and cup titles.
Third-placed Knight Riders will be concentrating exclusively on the league, but will need some help from others if they are to win a first ever Grade 1 title – and they will have their hands full at Rubislaw, where Aberdeen Grammar are battling to avoid relegation.
In Grade 2, the most intriguing game is in Aberdeen, where second-placed Grampian are at home to fourth-placed Fraserburgh, with both teams hoping to steal a march on leaders 2nd Grampian, who are not in action.
In Grade 3, leaders Methlick can continue their march to the title should they beat Crathie at Balmoral, while second-placed 2nd Siyapa host Stoneywood-Dyce.
