Ballinamallard face into two key games this week when they travel to Warrenpoint on Friday night before hosting Portadown on Monday night at Ferney Park.
The Mallards recorded their first win since October in defeating Ballymena in their last outing and manager Whitey Anderson is keen to build on that against a resurgent Warrenpoint Town tomorrow night.
“We know it is going to be a tough game at Warrenpoint, who are on a good run, but the win and the performance against Ballymena will have given the players a lot of confidence. The old saying goes though that one swallow doesn’t make a summer and it is important that we get the same level of commitment and performance on Friday night,” said Anderson.
Warrenpoint’s recent run of form has brought them right back into the mix at the foot of the table and Anderson says his side have to be ready to deal with what the home side will throw at them.
“It is going to be a different type of game and we are going to have to make sure that we are ready for the onslaught, the first 15 or 20 minutes will be hammer and tongs from both sides but from our point of view we are going there to get a result. Our intention is to work hard on our gameplan this week and to go there for the win but the most important thing is that we don’t lose the game. That’s not being negative, we want to win and that’s the aim but if we don’t lose it won’t be the worst result.”
Anderson strengthened his squad in January with five new additions with the experience and quality of Ivan Sproule and Stephen O’Flynn shining through against Ballymena.
“The new signings definitely bring a lot to the table both on the pitch and off it and there looks to be a good balance to the side. Stevie O’Flynn holds the ball up well and brings others into play and you have Ivan Sproule, who deserved his man of the match award against Ballymena, and Jason McCartney working off him while you have attacking drive from Johnny Lafferty and James McKenna from the middle and obviously Shane McCabe in there as well. As I said though, we have to keep the momentum going.”
O’Flynn picked up a knock in the game against Ballymena and was forced off at half time but Anderson is hopeful of having him available on Friday night.
“He had a groin strain and felt a tweak on it but we are confident that he will play on Friday night. We would be hopeful of a full squad to travel to Warrenpoint,” he commented.
And there will be little rest for the Mallards as they host Ronnie McFall’s Ports on Monday night.
“They got themselves into the quarter-final of the Irish Cup and they have found a bit of form and obviously we know the goalscoring threat they carry but at the minute we are just focussing on the Warrenpoint game and after that we can concentrate on trying to get our third home win of the season when we play Portadown."