The busy Christmas period of games may just have finished but Ballinamallard are readying themselves for another hectic spell as they face three crucial league games in eight days, starting with the visit to Carrick Rangers on Friday night.

The meeting with Carrick will then be followed by two home games with Glenavon the visitors to Ferney Park on Tuesday night and Coleraine providing the opposition on Saturday.

First things first though with the encounter against Carrick another crunch game at the bottom of the table.

The Mallards have shown good form in recent weeks in the league, picking up seven points from their least four games and it has allowed them to open up a five point gap over second from bottom Carrick while having played a game less.

A win therefore on Friday night would open up a sizeable lead for the Mallards over Carrick although Dykes’ side have only managed to pick up one point from their previous two meetings in the league this season.

Indeed, given the way the table is shaping up, Dykes feels that this may be a more important game for Carrick than the Mallards.

“They are all important games and you only get the same amount of points for beating the likes of Portadown or Carrick as you do for beating Crusaders but it is a big game for us because we want to beat the teams that are around us.

“It is probably a bigger game for Carrick than it is for us but we’ll go and we’ll prepare properly and we’ll do what we have to do. We have a lot of tired legs and a lot of sore bodies but hopefully we will be able to get a performance on Friday night that will get us some points and that’s what we are looking for,” he commented.

And the Mallards chief acknowledges that a result on Friday night would give them a big boost going into their next two games.

“We have three games coming up in a week. We play on Friday night, we have Glenavon on Tuesday night and then we are at home to Coleraine so it is a big eight days. We’ve picked up a lot of points over Christmas so we are happy with that and although we’re disappointed to go out of the cup, if we can get something out of Carrick I think we’ll all be happy.

“We know we are coming into the second half of the season which is crucial for us and if we can get something on Friday night it will send us into the next couple of games in a positive mood,” he added.

The Mallards will be without suspended duo Liam McMenamin and Ryan McConnell for the game against Carrick but it is hoped that James McKenna will be able to shake off a knock and take his place in the side.

Dykes has made no secret about his goal for this season. If they can stay in the place they currently hold in the league then he will consider the season a big success and he will then look to build on it next year.

“We don’t have the biggest squad in the world but we are happy with where we are and as I’ve said before if we can remain where we are it will have been a fantastic season.”

In terms of the squad, Ballinamallard have added goalkeeper Richard Brush and striker Ryan Curran to the squad this month while Dykes says a deal has now been agreed with Finn Harps to turn Ryan McConnell’s loan move into a permanent switch.

“They have accepted a deal for him and I’m delighted with it,” said Dykes. “He is a smashing lad, he’s been really good for us and he suits the profile of what we want at the club. He has signed for this year and next year which is what we want and he will only get better.”

And the Mallards boss again stressed his desire to get one more player in on loan.

“The club have been great to me, they have backed me and although we don’t have the biggest budget in the world we have done some great business this month. I would love to get one more in as it will strengthen the numbers and strengthen the squad and I’ll be thrilled but if not I’m quite confident that with the group we have we’ll be alright,” said Dykes.