Ballinamallard manager, Whitey Anderson.
With the visit of Warrenpoint to Ferney Park on Saturday, Ballinamallard’s last home game of the season, Whitey Anderson is looking for a special effort from his troops as the face into their final three games of the season on the road.
“We’re not looking a point on Saturday,” said the Mallards supremo. “We want three points, we have to go for three points and win this game. I would suggest that would Barry Gray’s thinking, but all I’m interested in is myself and my own team. What I’ll be going for is a win on Saturday.”
Victory is essential, but Ballinamallard aren’t in any danger of taking Town for granted, having sunk to a 3-0 defeat when the sides last met in February.
“We’re all down there for a reason, we’re all stuck in this together,” said Anderson. “There’s four teams in it and one result can give you a serious lift and that’s what we need on Saturday.
“It boils down to desire, hunger and attitude, and above all else having belief in yourself and belief in each other that when you get out on to this pitch that you can get a result.
“There’s enough experience and quality in that changing room to go out and get a result on Saturday and come 3pm I’m expecting the players ready to go.
“This is a massive game for both sides. It’s our only home game and we’ve got to go out with the mentality that we’re going to win the match. We’ve got to take the game by the scruff of the neck from the first whistle to the last and really go for it.
“It’s probably the most important match of our five games. We know the significance of it and that’s not lost on the players. They know it’s important to go and give it everything they have on Saturday.”
Easier said than done perhaps. With all the bottom four sides finishing deadlocked in their game, the end of season nerves are palpable as the stakes are ratcheted up for each successive game. Will nerves be a factor as the Mallards bid to retain Premiership status?
“That’s up to the players,” said Anderson. “They’ve got to go out there and believe in themselves. There’s no point in having any regrets afterwards. You’ve got to go out and give it everything you have, be positive, play on the front foot and take the game to them and that’s our intention on Saturday.
“If you give it everything you have in an attack sense then we should be good enough defensively. We’ve just got to create more chances in the last third of the pitch and be more clinical when we do get in there, pick the right pass.
“I felt last Saturday we were a bit wasteful at times, but we’re looking forward to playing at Ferney Park. It’s a good pitch, it’s our last home game, get the crowd behind and they can help push the players on.”
On the plus side Anderson will be bolstered for the visit or Warrenpoint by an almost full deck to select from.
“Everyone is going full throttle,” said the Ferney boss. “James McKenna is back from suspension. Alvin Rouse has started training a bit, but we’re not sure if he’ll be back. Hopefully he be available for the last couple of games, but Stefan McCusker has been very good in the last number of matches.”
Danske Bank Premiership
Ballinamallard United v Warrenpoint Town
Saturday, Ferney Park, 3pm
Last meeting
12th February – Premiership
Warrenpoint 3 Ballinamallard United 0
Top scorers
Ballinamallard: Liam Martin, James McKenna 5.
Warrenpoint: Stephen Murray 11.
Statistics
Ballinamallard Warrenpoint
DWWWL Home < Form > Away WLWLW
Last five results – oldest to most recent
23.53 Home < Average win % > Away 21.05
0.88 Average score 1.12
1.53 Average concession 1.97
0.29 Average 1st half goals 0.47
0.59 Average 2nd half goals 0.65
0.59 Average 1st half goals conc 0.76
0.94 Average 2nd half goals conc 1.21
8 Clean sheets 5
13 Games failed to score 7
11.76 1st half win percentage 20.59
17.65 2nd half win percentage 20.59
0.76 Average winning margin 1.07
1.75 Average losing margin 2.14
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