No room for error and Aberdeen Grammar’s Stuart Smith knows his side can get its season back on track with a victory at Stewart’s-Melville tomorrow.
Coach Stuart Corsar’s Rubislaw side suffered a 31-16 defeat by National 1 leaders Watsonians at home on Saturday and 23-year-old Smith, now in his sixth season with Grammar, knows his side must return to winning ways.
After another stuttering start, Grammar are ninth in the 12-team division, but are only five points adrift of fifth-placed Edinburgh Accies in a congested table.
The second row player said: “It needs to start now. Our away record has not been that great, but we are playing a team who are below us in the league so this is one we know we have to win.
“Hopefully we can get a bonus point as well. We have had a similar amount of wins as some of the teams above us but we have been missing out on the bonus points, which can make the difference.
“In recent seasons we have played much better in the second half of the campaign so, hopefully, we can do the same this time round.
“I don’t think there is much between the teams in this league. Everyone seems to be capable of beating each other.
“We have an opportunity against Stewart’s-Melville to get that win we are looking for and I feel confident we can go on a winning run and start moving up the table.”
Only leaders Watsonians and third-placed Marr have scored more points this season than Grammar’s haul of 263, which Smith believes is further evidence his side should be further up the table. He added: “We know we need to improve our defence as well as showing more of a cutting edge in attack.
“A lot of us are in our early 20s so I don’t know if it is down to a lack of experience.
“But we need to sort it out and there is still plenty of games left in the season to work our way up the table.
“We have had worse starts to the season and finished strongly so we know there is still a huge amount to play for.”