Ballinamallard are targeting a top six finish this season, after victory over Ards on Saturday lifted them to within six points of the top half.

That sixth spot is currently held by this Saturday’s opponents H&W Welders, and if the Mallards can put together back to back wins by winning at Ferney Park this weekend then will take another stride towards an achievement that seemed unlikely earlier in the campaign when they were fighting to stay out of the relegation places.

The Mallards are now 13 points clear of the bottom two and are looking upwards as they approach the final ten games before the league splits in half.

“It’s the target we have set ourselves,” admitted Canning. “Had we lost on Saturday it makes it harder for that to be realistic, but because you win you are only a couple of points behind Annagh and one more behind Newington, and if we can put a wee run of games together you could find yourself in with a shot of sneaking into that top six.

“We needed to find a way to win the game and take three points away, because of the fact the two teams are close together in the table, and because of our own targets that we have set ourselves for the rest of the season.

“It would be a fantastic achievement if we could get top six. There are ten games before the split so there is a lot of football to be played and a huge amount of difficult fixtures to be played, none more so than the task we have on Saturday at home to the Welders.

“It’s all well and good setting the goal, but getting the points that are required will not be an easy task.”

Saturday’s morale boosting win over Ards delighted the manager, who had to shuffle his pack after injury and unavailability had enforced changes to their shape and personnel.

“It wasn’t our best performance, but I would describe it as an efficient performance,” he said.

“It was good to get the result, but other aspects of the game were really pleasing as well. It is a clean sheet, which is our first since the Portadown game. We have Jamie Ray there now and while he is not new to the group, he hasn’t really ever had a sustained run of games, so it’s like having a new goalkeeper coming in because he is building up relationships with his defenders.

“Dean Corrigan made his senior debut for the club in place of Peter Maguire, and we had Alex Holder playing a bit deeper because Aaron Harkin was injured. We had Jamie Dunne playing centrally because Alex had to drop deeper. All those things were thrown at the players and they dealt with them really well. Whilst it wasn’t our most aesthetically pleasing performance and maybe not that easy on the eye, it was efficient. The players got the job done, and huge credit to them for that.”

Jamie Ray’s clean sheet was his first for the club since he came into the starting line-up following the departure of goalkeeper Jack Le-moignan. Ballinamallard have brought in former academy graduate Adam Grogan on loan from Dungannon Swifts to challenge Ray for the top spot, but Le-moignan could be set for a quick return to Ferney Park in opposition colours, with the keeper tipped to make a permanent switch to Welders ahead of Saturday’s clash.

Canning is hoping he will have a stronger squad to choose from this weekend. Harkin will face a late test on his ankle injury, but Peter Maguire, Ryan Morris, John Edgar and Aaron Smyton are all expected to be in contention for selection.