Big spending Larne won’t relish Wilgar test: Mac
DUNDELA head coach Bryan McCarroll insists his players will take the game to Championship favourites Larne on Saturday in a bid to maintain their perfect record.
The Wilgar Park outfit have made a sensational start to the season winning all five of their league games, scoring 19 goals in the process.
They sit proudly at the top of the table while Larne are in third having made an excellent opening themselves with 13 points gained from a possible 15. Ballyclare have the same tally and are in second due to goal difference.
McCarroll (above), who arrived at Dundela in the summer after the club’s promotion to the Bluefin Sport Championship and works alongside Russell Bowers and Stephen Gourley, said: “We are all pushing in the right direction. The foundations were put in place last season and things have been going really well. “When you look at the quality that is in the Championship obviously you have Larne with the money, Portadown plus Ballinamallard and Carrick coming down from the top flight with more resources than us.
“You would have fancied them to be the early frontrunners but we have surpassed what people thought wewoulddo,notthattherewere many expectations put on us.
“We are delighted and it’s not as if we have sneaked results. We have been winning by three, four and five which is really pleasing.
“We are a very creative team with the players we have so we expect to make chances and long may that continue.”
McCarroll insists Dundela won’t sit back against Larne.
“They are the so-called team to beat but I don’t think they will fancy coming to Wilgar Park,” he said.
“We have had them watched and we will go out with our own game plan and will go for the victory. It’s not in our team’s nature to sit back. We are more likely to take it to them and see what they are made of.
“For us as coaches and the players this is a game to relish. The momentum at the club is very good and winning is a habit.
“The players have been brilliant. Their attitude has been great and they have been performing on the pitch.”
Jay Magee and Ben Murdock have been impressive at the back along with David McMaster and Daniel Burns on the flanks while McCarroll calls Jordan Hughes the ‘talisman’ of the team.
“Survival was probably the main aim at the start of the season but while it is early days we may look at it again in a few months and we could have different aims,” said McCarroll.
In another cracking contest on Saturday, Ballyclare travel to face fourth placed Portadown while Dergview host Limavady United.
Loughgall are at home to H&W Welders, Ballinamallard play Knockbreda at Ferney Park and Carrick Rangers visit PSNI.
All the matches kick-off at 3.00pm. Class act: Jordan Hughes has been outstanding for Dundela