They are undefeated in their opening five Breedon Highland League games – but striker Andy Hunter insists Banks o’ Dee still have to click into gear.
Hunter scored twice as Dee continued their fine start to the season with a 3-1 win against Keith in the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup on Wednesday.
In the league, many onlookers’ league title tips are sitting third, with three victories and two draws, but forward Hunter insists there is much to more to come.
He said: “Our start has been good in general, but there is a frustration that the performance levels maybe aren’t quite where we want them to be and we’ve dropped points with two draws.
“But it’s very early days and we’re looking to build on our results and try to get into our stride.”
Dee make the trip to Bellslea on Saturday to face a Fraserburgh team looking to get back to winning ways after back-to-back 0-0 draws in the league.
Mark Cowie’s side are 11th in the table with six points from their first five matches – but Hunter is expecting a serious test from the Broch, who finished third last season.
He said: “Everyone knows what to expect when they go up to Fraserburgh – it’s going to be a battle, you have to be ready and you know there will be times in the game where you have to grind it out.
“Form goes out the window in these games. Their results against the top two, winning at Buckie and drawing with Brechin, who will be up there, tells you everything you need to know.”
Hunter netted two fine long-range goals at Spain Park in the Shire Cup win over Keith.
The summer signing from Huntly was pleased to be back among the goals after an injury-disrupted start to the campaign, saying: “It was my first start since the first day, so it was nice to get two goals after coming back from injury.”
Scott Barbour relaxed over back-to-back Fraserburgh blanks
Saturday’s hosts Fraserburgh have drawn uncharacteristic blanks in their last two Highland League outings, drawing 0-0 with last term’s runners-up Brechin at Bellslea before last weekend’s goalless stalemate at Clachnacuddin.
However, they scored twice to knock League Two Forfar Athletic out of the SPFL Trust Trophy between those outings, and Broch talisman Scott Barbour is relaxed.
With fellow striker Ryan Sargent having departed for League Two Elgin City in the summer, Fraserburgh record-scorer Barbour called for his side to produce goals from other areas, saying: “It’s a weird one. Brechin was a tight game and there was nothing in it.
“But the Clach one, on another day I should have scored two.
“If we’d scored first up there then it’s a different game. But it’s always tough up there and Clach made it tough for us.
“It’s just one of those things – I always take a bit of time every season, I don’t know what it is, so it’s probably because we’ve not got other boys chipping in as much.
“There’s probably just more people speaking about it with the last two games being 0-0.”
On Banks o’ Dee’s visit, Barbour – whose side have taken points off Brechin, as well as winning 3-1 at champions Buckie Thistle – added: “It another big game against a team who will be going for the title.
“We’ll be up for it, especially after dropping points again last weekend.
“But at the Bellslea – especially if the place is like it was for the Forfar game – we’ll be definitely be up for it.”
Ross Tokely wants Nairn County to find consistency to go with ability
Meanwhile, Ross Tokely is urging his Nairn County side to build on their midweek North of Scotland Cup rout of Caley Thistle and deliver another top performance at Turriff United on Saturday.
The Wee County have three Highland League points from their opening four fixtures, but showed plenty of bite in kicking off their North Cup defence – beating a youthful ICT side 4-1 at Station Park.
Tokely, who replaced Steven Mackay in the Nairn hot-seat this summer, has recruited finishers such as Matthew Wright and Scott Lisle, with both already on the scoresheet.
He wants his side to add consistency to their ability as they get set for fifth-placed Turra.
He said: “Despite being a defender, I want my team to play good football – you can see that with the signings I’ve made in the summer.
“But I also want players to be dogged and put a shift in.
“I understand we will lose games, but I want us to put that shift in.
“We have talented players here in good areas, with good competition for places, so it’s a good place to be.
“We just now need to be more consistent. Can we get a positive result at Turriff? We’re looking to build momentum.
“If we show the same heart, desire and team spirit as we did on Tuesday, we will be fine.”
Nairn are nursing a few knocks and niggles going into the match, but hope Kenny Macinnes will be their only absentee.
Turriff boss – ‘If we’re going to win games, I’d like it to not be as narrow a scoreline as we’ve had’
Turriff have won their last three Highland League games, against Formartine United, Lossiemouth and Keith.
Warren Cummings’ side have claimed each victory by a one-goal margin.
After a 0-0 draw, followed by a penalty shoot-out loss to Hermes in the Aberdeenshire Cup on Wednesday, the Turra boss would like his team to add more goal threat to what has been improved solidity at the back.
Cummings, who led Turriff to ninth last term, said: “We’ve shown a positive reaction since the defeat at Brora (5-0) and the disappointment against Forres, where we were up 2-0 (and drew 2-2).
“We’ve been happy since, and we’ve had challenges within that period with personnel missing.
“We’re content enough, but still looking for a bit more. If we’re going to win games, I’d like it to not be as narrow a scoreline as we’ve had in the last three games.
“But I can’t have it both ways, because I asked my team to be more resolute defending this season than we were last season – when we were pretty free-scoring, but shipping a lot of goals.
“So far this season it’s been the opposite, but in the main we’ve had more positive results.”
Cummings expects Nairn, who finished a place above Turriff last season, to test his team’s league winning streak when they visit on Saturday, saying: “I went up to Nairn twice last week and they’ve got a lot of goals in their team from different areas and quality all over the park.
“We know how difficult it was when we played them last season, and they’ve got continuity is their new manager, who knows the club really well and will do really well for them.
“While they haven’t had the start they would have hoped for in the league, it’s only going to be a matter of time before they start putting a run of results together.”
Jack McKenzie returns from suspension for Turriff, but Liam Strachan and Callan Gray are among those still missing.
Team news from around the Highland League
Elsewhere on Saturday, table-toppers Brora Rangers welcome Keith, who will be without Ryan Robertson, Murray Addison and Jake Stewart, while Mikey Taylor and Jordan Lynch are among the doubts.
Alex Cooper is out for the Cattachs while Craig Mackenzie is a doubt.
Buckie visit Deveronvale, with the hosts missing Kyle Dalling, Sean McIntosh, Max Stewart, Oleg Dlugosz and player-boss Garry Wood, while Mikey Watson, Cameron Angus and Rogan Read are doubtful.
For the Jags, striker Liam Harvey is on holiday.
Forres Mechanics’ Calum Howarth, Tom Brady and Andrew Skinner are out for their home game with Lossiemouth.
Huntly will welcome back Michael Clark for Clachnacuddin’s visit, but Fraser Hobday, Alex Thoirs, Jamie Michie, Lewis Crosbie, Joel Gauld, Ryan Sewell and James Connolly are injured, and Ross Still is suspended. Clach are set to have a full squad, bar long-term casualty Gavin Morrison.
Rothes are without Greg Morrison, Charlie MacDonald, Owen Alexander, Ben Johnstone and Ally Mackenzie for Inverurie Locos’ trip to Mackessack Park, while the visitors will without injured pair Josh Buchan and Anton Chauvin.
Locos have loaned Ryan Park to Keith and Harris Clubb to juniors Ellon United.
Wick Academy are bolstered by Marc MacGregor’s return for their home clash with Brechin City, though Richard Macadie, Kyle Henderson, Graeme Williamson, James More, Callan Jessiman and Brandon Sinclair are out. Ryan Ferguson will be missing for Brechin.
Strathspey Thistle’s new boss Ryan Esson hopes to have a couple of faces back for the Seafield Park clash with Formartine United.
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