Gordonians are closing in on the teams above them but player-president Matthew Brechin insists retaining the club’s National League 2 status remains the aim.
Jim Greenwood’s side have won three of their last four matches to move six points above ninth-placed Hamilton Bulls and, with nine points now separating 10th and sixth, the Countesswells side have the chance to move up the table in the second half of the campaign.
Momentum is with the Aberdeen side, but Brechin insists no-one is getting carried away.
He said: “We believe we belong here and it is up to us to show it.
“Our aim is to retain our place in the league, enjoy our rugby and have fun with our friends. It sounds like a cliché, but it is genuinely the culture at the club.
“We want to work hard, play hard and enjoy ourselves. With 40 boys at training, it seems to be working and we’re enjoying the challenge of showing what we can do.
“It bodes well for the next few seasons.
“Hamilton have been dragged into it now as well and there are five teams who are pretty close. It’s the old adage of taking it one game at a time.”
Fighting comeback at Hamilton shows progress being made
Gordonians rallied from 20-0 down to win 33-23 at Hamilton Bulls last weekend and Brechin believes the growing confidence in the side was crucial in their terrific comeback.
He said: “The boys have been playing well for the last two or three months and we’re seeing the battling qualities now.
“The heads don’t go down, because we trust in what we’re doing being the right thing. The boys showed that on Saturday and we got our just desserts.
“We had to go to uncontested scrums as we lost three of our starting front row. They were dominating the scrum, but that was all they had and we played the better rugby.
“I think we were fitter as well and it showed in the last 20 minutes when we were still hungry. We played very well.”
Competition for places has galvanised club
Following their fine away win, Gordonians are back on home soil as they welcome seventh-placed Glasgow Academicals to Countesswells tomorrow.
Brechin said: “We knew where we were at the halfway stage and what we needed to do.
“We’re focused on what we are doing well and trying to right the elements we don’t do so well in between games.
“The second XV have also been brilliant and it has made the challenge for the boys in the first XV to keep their place massive.
“We’ve seen a lot of boys put their hand up and say they deserve the chance and they’ve all taken it.
“If we can achieve our aim this season, we’ll be looking to really push the pedal hard and build on it.”
