Ballinamallard manager Gavin Dykes says that he will be going with an attacking side against Warrenpoint Town at Ferney Park this Saturday as they look to make up ground at the foot of the table.
The Mallards have just come off an extremely difficult successive run of games against the top five teams in the table but between now and the end of December they have a run of fixtures that includes all the teams around them and Dykes is targeting points, starting this weekend.
“This Saturday’s game won’t relegate us if we are beaten or it won’t keep us up if we win but this Saturday’s game we need to try and be positive and try and go and win a football match. We will be picking an attacking team to try and win the game.
“We’ve had a tough run of games, there is no hiding that, and we lost a few players through injury when we can’t afford to lose anybody. We are hoping that we might have a few players back and we need to get a response from the last couple of weeks. I think we have a run of games coming up that we can pick points from, starting on Saturday. Warrenpoint won’t be easy but if we can beat them it will give us confidence going into the next run of games.” he added.
Warrenpoint are currently sitting ninth in the table, seven points ahead of the Mallards and Dykes is expecting a tough test on Saturday evening.
“Warrenpoint are a decent side. I had them watched against Glentoran and the feedback I got was that they should have got something out of the game as they were probably the better side so it is going to be tough,” commented Dykes.
And the Mallards boss admits that the buck stops with him regards results and performances although he wants his players to take more responsibility on the pitch.
“The bottom line is that the table doesn’t lie and we are the worst team in the division. We are conceding too many and we aren’t scoring enough. The buck stops with me as manager but the players have to go out and do exactly what they are told to do and everything they possibly can to carry out the plan.
“We need a bit of hunger, a bit of desire and people taking responsibility when they go out on the pitch to make the right decisions and be brave,” he stated.
In terms of player availability, Dykes is hopeful over Stuart Hutchinson and Jay McCartney but believes that striker Ryan Curran is still a big doubt.
“Hutchy I’m hoping will be alright and I’m hoping that Jay McCartney will be available but it will be touch and go with Ryan Curran and we miss him because it is an area that we are short in,” he said.
The manager is already planning for January and bringing in additions to bolster the squad for the battle that lies ahead. For now though it is all about putting points on the board.  
“The plan is to try and get a few points on the board, stay in touch between now and Christmas and then in January try and get a few bodies in. Last year in January we got Brush and Curran and I’m hoping to bring in two or three players of the same calibre this January. 
“It won’t be easy but that’s the plan and that’s what we are working towards,” he said.
And Dykes remains confident that the Mallards can climb their way up the table.
“Realistically, we are six point off where we want to be and I’m very hopeful that we can make that up as there is a lot of football left to be played.,” he concluded.