Ballinamallard manager Gavin Dykes believes that his side will go into this Saturday’s encounter against Ballymena with a sense of renewed confidence following last Saturday’s draw with Warrenpoint Town.
That game ended a run of fixtures against the top five teams in the table, all which ended in defeat, but now they are through that tough period, Dykes is hopeful that his side can start to pick up points and begin to move in the right direction in the table.
The Mallards boss knows his side face a tough test at the Showgrounds this weekend but he is hopeful that they can come away with a result.
“We had a tight game with them at Ferney Park, they are a big, physical side and they have a threat up front in Murray and Friel. We’ll take a bit of confidence though from the performance and the spirit that we showed last Saturday against Warrenpoint and we have nothing to lose. 
“I have said that once we got over that run of games that we had we should start to pick up points, we got a point last Saturday and hopefully we can get something this Saturday,” he stated.
The Mallards will be missing some key players though for the trip to Ballymena.
“Clarke is suspended, Leddy won’t be fit for the weekend after picking up an injury on Saturday and I doubt McKenna will be fit but I’m hoping that Curran will be back,” he said.
Dykes’ side had looked to be on their way to all three points against Warrenpoint Town on Saturday night when Shane McGinty put them ahead two minutes into the second half.
However, the dismissal of Richard Clarke saw the contest swing in Warrenpoint’s favour and the visitors then swooped to snatch a draw through a Darren Murray effort.
Dykes felt if the Mallards had their full complement on the pitch to the end then they would have won the game but once the equaliser arrived he was content with the point.
“If we had finished 11 v 11 I would have considered it two lost but finishing the way we did finish I would have taken a point when it went 1-1with ten minutes to go. We had the momentum until Clarkey was sent off then it changes and a team low on confidence at the bottom of the league gets nervous and that’s natural. I’m disappointed that we didn’t see it out but we are a point closer to Carrick and Warrenpoint haven’t got away from us and if we can keep chipping away and get a few bodies in in January we will be fine,” he said.
Work is ongoing in terms of additions to the squad in the January window and Dykes is confident of getting players in to the club.
“I’ve worked very hard over the last two and half weeks in meeting people and chasing deals and I’ve pulled in every favour that I possibly could so I’m hopeful that we will have a bit of joy in bringing in players,” he said.