Whitey Anderson knows that Cliftonville will be a tough test at Ferney Park
Saturday’s Irish Premiership fixture with league leaders Cliftonville will be one of the toughest yet for top six hopefuls Ballinamallard United.
Manager Whitey Anderson says, “They couldn’t come much more difficult than this.”
“But all the players are looking forward to it, but we know that we will have to defend well against an inform side with Boyce and Gormley up front.”
“We’ll be going out there to have a go. That will be our intention.”
Anderson knows his side will have to work extremely hard to get anything from this game at Ferney Park.
“We will have to take our opportunities and we must be secure at the back if we are to quell the threat they have in their forward line.
“I’ll be looking for a good response on Saturday after our disappointment at Donegal Celtic,” said Anderson after his boys went down 3-1 to League of Ireland champions Sligo Rovers on Monday evening.
“I’ve asked some of the fringe and younger players to step up to the plate and stake a claim to a first team place for Saturday. They did well tonight against a quality outfit.”
Anderson is adamant that a top six place is still very much achievable by the Mallards, but there is a lot of work still to do.
“We have a squad capable of achieving that, but they must really have a go and grab the opportunity with both hands,” he said.
Life could have been a bit easier if the Mallards had taken something from Saturday’s game. They would have been virtually guaranteed a top six place.
Now though Saturday’s game is vital, but Anderson knows there will be plenty more twists and turns before the league splits, but it is important that his players battle for every point because every point will make a difference.