ALL SMILES…Ballinamallard Manager Whitey Anderson.
It’s the last Premier League home game of the season for a side that has taken the football by storm this season.
Ballinamallard United, who made the top six face their ‘bogey’ side Glentoran with a real willingness to turn the tables on this time.
It’s a big one for the team and the club.
Manager Whitey Anderson isn’t just content to be in the top six at the end of the season.
“The fact that we are still in a position to challenge for the top four is just amazing in our first season. It’s quite incredible that with four games left we are still doing that,” he said.
“All season our first target was to remain in the Premiership. Then we set ourselves another target to be in the top six at the split. Now we must aim for a top four spot.”
“I know the players have a real hunger to do that. They are out to be fighting to the last game of the season. We have to have something to fight for and something to challenge for,” said the Ballinamallard manager.
Even though Ballinamallard could finish in fourth position, it doesn’t guarantee them European football next season.
“We’ve still got plenty to play for though.”
Anderson is picking from almost a full squad at the moment and feels that at the end of a season like this the players may naturally be tired and a little lethargic.
“At this stage of a long, long season they are psychologically and mentally tired. It has been a long, long season for them, something that they haven’t been used to,” he said.
“The players haven’t been used to this amount of games in a season, but the fact that they are still in fighting for something gives them that little extra edge.”
He knows the pitches are very lively at this time of year which doesn’t suit their style of football, but he know he needs to get a win on Saturday if they are to make fourth place.
“They seem to be our bogey team this year and we haven’t played well against them. We could do with a win.”
Glentoran have already reached the Irish Cup final and will have one eye on that.
But for Anderson and the Ballinamallard it is the final home game of the Premier League season.
“The players and the supporters have been fantastic all year. The support we have received has been tremendous. The players really want to finish at home with a win for everybody concerned, but mostly for themselves,” said Anderson.