Captain Will Alton is optimistic Aberdeenshire will finally notch their first win of the campaign this weekend.
Shire, who are bottom of National 2 after last week’s 56-12 home defeat by Lasswade, travel to in-form Kirkcaldy tomorrow.
The Balwearie Road side has won both of its opening matches in the third tier after following up an opening day success against Howe of Fife with a 35-26 win at Peebles.
The 21-year-old, who is in his fourth season at the Woodside club, said the team has been working hard to address a slow start to the campaign after beginning the new term with three successive defeats.
The openside flanker said: “It was always going to be a difficult start to the season while the new collaboration with Aberdeen Grammar got up and running.
“It has taken us a couple of weeks to gel and get to know the new boys.
“Hopefully, this will be the week when things start to click.
“The training sessions have been really good and all of the boys are working together very well.
“Some of the players have been moving up and down the teams and the boys have been very accepting of that.
“It has been a surprisingly smooth transition.
“We are also making sure the boys are going out together after matches and getting to know each other.
“We feel like we are heading in the right direction.”
Alton has also been encouraged by the impact new Shire head coach Craig Parslow has made since replacing Alex Duncan in the summer.
He added: “Craig is excellent at building a team.
“He has gained so much respect from the players.
“We have been really impressed with him.
“I hope we can get the win we are looking for this weekend.
“When we went to Kirkcaldy last season we drew 31-31.
“They have won their opening two games in the league so we expect a tough test.
“They have a big pack so we will look to use our assets out wide and start spreading the ball a bit to stretch them.”
Elsewhere in National 2, Hamilton host Howe of Fife, second-bottom Peebles travel to Biggar and Preston Lodge face GHK.
League leaders Dumfries New Saints take on third-placed Lasswade, with both teams starting the season with two wins.