Chris Strain says Kilwinning Rangers cannot let nerves get the better of them when they host in-form Hurlford on Saturday.
The Buffs are already playing catch up in the WoSFL Premier League after two defeats in their opening five games.
They needed two late goals to see off ten-man Cumbernauld United on Saturday in a far from convincing performance.
Boss Strain reckons a ropey start to the campaign is playing on minds and hampering the search for consistency.
“There’s an anxiousness about us just now because we’ve dropped a couple of points early doors,” he said.
“The balance and the fluency in our play isn’t quite there at this moment in time.
“One of the reasons for that is that boys maybe aren’t 100 per cent on form so you search for that magic formula.
“The most important thing while we search for that utopia and consistency is that we win games.
“It’s easy to sugarcoat things and say we won 4-2 and everything in the garden is rosy.
“But if we play in the manner we’ve played in the last couple of weeks, Hurlford could cause us real problems.”
Ford are on a four-game winning streak and Strain insists it’s no surprise to see Darren Henderson’s side among the chasing pack once again.
“Hurlford are a team that are comfortable in their own skin and they have been for a number of years,” added Strain.
“They’re consistently top performers and there or thereabouts in competitions.
“I’m under no illusion this will be a test for us both physically and mentally.
“However, we are more than capable of dictating the game against them.
“It’s a game we need to come through and pick up three points again at home.”
