Stand-in skipper Shaun Coetzer is aiming to guide Stoneywood-Dyce to their first win of the season in the Eastern Premier League.
The People’s Park side are bottom of the table having played six and lost six ahead of facing RH Corstorphine in Edinburgh tomorrow.
With regular captain Lennard Bester sidelined due to injury the experienced Coetzer has taken on the role.
He believes Stoneywood-Dyce have been improving with every outing this campaign and is confident a first victory is on the horizon.
Coetzer said: “We’ve shown glimpses of what we can do, but we’re not putting the full performance together at the moment.
“However, each week there’s been improvement which is a good thing, we just need to keep taking those steps in the right direction.
“We need to ensure we keep a positive mindset and retain the belief in what we do because the team’s good enough to win games and get up the table.
“We’re not worrying about it, we’ll keep going in the right direction and hopefully we get the first win this week and can build from there.
“Last week (four run defeat to Falkland) we made a couple of errors in a 10-minute period which cost us.
“It’s a case of limiting those errors and going back to basics. If you can do the basics better than the opposition then you’ll win more matches than you lose.”
On assuming the responsibilities of captaincy, Coetzer added: “I’ve always enjoyed it.
“When I was very young at Stoneywood-Dyce and did it I was quite fiery, whereas, now I’m quite calm.
“Some people like one or the other, but I think the guys in the team like the relaxed nature.
“I don’t go too up or down, which I think is a good thing.
“It’s unfortunate we’re missing Lennard, who is a good captain, and I think I complement him with the way we interact.”
Crunch clashes
Meanwhile, in the North-East Championship Huntly are aiming to bounce back from their first defeat of the season in the battle of the division’s top two.
The Castle Park outfit were beaten at home last weekend by Perth Doo’coot and travel to tackle table toppers Arbroath at Lochlands.
Captain Jack Mitchell will be looking for a response from his charges and victory could take Huntly back to the summit.
Elsewhere, fifth-placed Aberdeenshire will look to close the gap on the sides above them with victory against third-placed Perth at Doo’cot Park.
At Countesswells it’s the clash of the bottom two as ninth-placed Gordonians meet Falkland 2nds, the only winless side in the division.
Grades champions aim to get back on track
Meanwhile, in the North-East Grades Knight Riders, the defending Grade One champions, will be bidding to build on last week’s return to form when they narrowly failed to hunt down the massive 370 set by Bon Accord.
A trip to Allan Park where they meet Cults should hold no fears for the Groats Road side, although a return to the title race may not yet be on the cards.
At Mannofield, the home side will be fancied to retain their top position against AberGreen.
Second-placed Bon Accord should prevail away to Grampian, especially if Fazal Awan maintains his astonishing glut of scoring.
The closest encounter could be at Kellands Park where Inverurie entertain Master Blasters Aberdeen, the surprise package in the division.
Elsewhere in the top flight Crescent are at home to Gordonians.
Aberdeen Grammar’s push to return to Grade 1 will continue when they defend their unbeaten record away to 2nd AberGreen.
The most fiercely contested game could be in the all-Aberdeenshire clash at the Burnett Park where Banchory host Ellon Gordon, while second placed Methlick will entertain Fraserburgh at Lairds who are also pushing for promotion.
