HEAD coach Gavin Emerson is confident that Dunfermline Rugby Club's men's first XV can give their "class" supporters a memorable day on Saturday as they bid to move one step closer to Murrayfield.

Following the disappointment of their league decider with Aberdeen Wanderers being postponed, attention turns to a National Shield quarter-final clash with Dalziel Rugby Club, with the McKane Park side two victories away from a final at the national stadium.

The visitors are top of Tennent's Men's West League Division Two but Emerson, who took his players across the Forth to play a friendly with Currie seconds at the weekend, has belief his squad can continue a run which has already taken them past Carnoustie, Grangemouth Stags and Moray.

"We've got some notes on Dalziel. They've got a good kicker from what we've seen, so we just need to have a bit of patience and not give away penalties within our half, because he likes to have a kick, whether it's to drop goal, or if you do give the penalty away, there's a good chance they can convert that penalty into points," Emerson said.

"It's just about playing rugby in the right areas. I think if we stick to our patterns, it shouldn't really matter what Dalziel bring. We've got enough in the tank and enough in the squad to put these guys away this weekend. It's just controlling what we can control really.

"We're just looking at us, what we can do and what we're capable of. That's the same sort of message this week. We've not really changed any of our game plan that we were working on last week for Aberdeen for this week. It's the same sort of idea; just hard work, and quick and effective rugby.

"We put the availability question up quite late on Monday, but it's been one of the quickest responses we've had off the players. There's opportunities for the seconds and first XV to gain some real good honours or this weekend, or put them in a good frame going forward, so it's been really great.

"It just goes to show us how keen the guys are to play. Due to the first XV league not having many teams in the league this season, we've had very little home games, so I think the guys are really chomping at the bit to get a game at home.

"It's going to be a great weekend. Dalziel are always putting out a ones and a twos, so they're not going to cry off this weekend – they're keen. The weather, touch wood, is looking good, so the game's going to be on.

"The supporters have been class this season. There's a hospitality thing on, so I think there will be a massive crowd, and I'm more than confident that the boys are going to put on the show that the spectators deserve as much as the boys this weekend.

"We've just got to have a good week of rugby. There's not too much, tasking wise, to get done this week. What we'll put on in training this week is clarity and understanding of what everyone's required to do in each situation, so they've got the best preparation going into it, working under pressure, and still being able to stay focused, which I'm confident we'll get.

"It was a good weekend for the coaches as well, with simple things we need to take away, and get the guys working on this week."

Although the first XV lost their friendly 48-10, against a side with players containing Premiership level experience, Emerson was pleased with the exercise, adding: "It was always going to be a tough test for the boys but it was an experience I was really keen for them to have. 22 boys got game time, some of those are 2nd XV players which is an even better experience for them.

"We started off really well, our scrum dominated them as well, which was good to see for the boys. We'll be working on it this week, it's just managing ourselves under pressure, and not allowing our game pattern or game shape to change just because teams are putting us under pressure, so it was valuable to get that.

"I think the guys will take a lot away from it, just a taste of what maybe a higher level of rugby is, the kind of training away from the boys might benefit from next season."