SAUCHIE star Mark Sharp is confident his side can take maximum points from Saturday's Super League clash with high-flying Penicuik.

The last meeting between the sides ended in stalemate, but Sharp says Sauchie are a much better side now than they were earlier in the season ahead of the weekend encounter at Beechwood Park.

And the defender says home advantage can help propel the Wee County outfit to a vital victory in their hunt for survival.

Sharp told Advertiser Sport: "We will fancy our chances of getting a result on Saturday because we're in a much better place now than we were when we drew with them earlier in the season. We have turned a massive corner.

"Performances and results have been good recently so I don't see any reason why we can't get a result, especially at home.

"Our last few results have been good and we have put a decent run together so it would have been good to keep the momentum going.

"Hopefully the game being called off at the weekend doesn't have too much of an effect and we can carry the form into the match on Saturday."

Last weekend's meeting with Lochee fell victim to a waterlogged pitch, and Sharp admitted his side have been unlucky with postponements this season after their Scottish Cup tie with Camelon was called off three times.

He said: "It's been frustrating because we've not been able to get a run of games together. It's like we've had an extended winter break.

"With the Scottish Cup coming just before Christmas, that obviously took priority so the games have kept rolling over. But it's just one of these things that can happen in football."

After a poor start to the season Sauchie have drastically improved, and Sharp urged his team-mates to match the high standards they have set in recent weeks as they look to keep climbing the Super League table.

He added: "We were capable of getting results earlier in the season but it didn't really click. We've had some new faces come in who have added a bit of experience.

"That has really helped us and we've been a lot more solid at the back. We've looked really good recently.

"We have now set the standard with our performances in the last few games.

"Now we have to make sure we maintain that and keep improving as the season goes on.

"We've got to keep pushing and get as high up the table as we can before the end of the season."