SOUTHEND United skipper Kevin Maher is urging the Shrimpers to kick start their stuttering season at Notts County this weekend. The former Tottenham Hotspur trainee missed Saturday's undeserved 2-1 defeat against Wycombe Wanderers with a one-match ban but is relishing a return for the 18th-placed Seasiders at Meadow Lane. "Hopefully I will be selected because it was very frustrating having to watch last week," said Maher, who is expected to replace Lewis Hunt in the centre of the park. "But it's going to be a very hard game for us even though Notts County are down the wrong end of the table right now. "They were in a higher division last season and I'm sure they will be looking to get back on track against us, so we will need to be at our best because we need a good result to get our season going again." Maher also admitted the Blues were determined to claim a vital victory as they strive to surge up the early League Two standings. "We are not where we would have liked to have been in the table at this stage but it's not disastrous yet," said the 27-year-old. "The league is only eight games old so there is still an awful long way to go. "If we had won on Saturday, like we deserved to, then we would have been in the top half of the table and everyone would be looking towards the play offs. "So if we can get another few wins on the spin and get some consistency going then we can still get back in the pack for sure. "And we're all still confident of doing that as, in the last five games, we've been playing well to be fair." During the impressive sequence of performances however, the Seasiders have failed to convert their dominant displays into match-winning scorelines -- something Maher is keen to turn around. "The results haven't been as good as they should have been in that spell and, although we've been unlucky in a couple of games, it's something we need to sort out," he said. "We need to try and stay positive and just improve on a few bits and pieces here and there because there isn't really a lot wrong. "We do need to start converting more of our chances though and we all know that. "But that's not just the forwards; it's everyone. In fact it's about time I got a goal to be honest!" added Maher.