City need points on road, says hitman Carville

NEWRY City’s Declan Carville says the newly-promoted side have to build on their decent home form so far this season by picking up points on the road following Saturday’s draw with Coleraine.

The 28-year-old put City in front in the first half against the Bannsiders before Aaron Burns levelled to take a share of the spoils back to the North Coast.

City have only lost once at The Showgrounds this season, beating Dungannon Swifts and Cliftonville while drawing with Warrenpoint before the weekend’s stalemate with Rodney McAree’s men.

Carville, who normally operates as a midfielder, has been pushed up front of late and was delighted to get his first goal of the season on Saturday.

“That’s the last three games I’ve played up front and it took me a wee while to get used to it again. It’s where I started my career playing. I don’t mind where I play as long as I’m helping the team. The last few seasons we’ve had more control of the ball and possession, but we’re adapting more to this league,” he said

“Darren said to us before the game that he can see a massive difference in us since the beginning of the season and I can see that myself.

“It’s a weight off my back because goals are expected of me. To be honest, my confidence was a bit low earlier in the season. Things weren’t coming off for me as they were in previous seasons and there was a lot of expectation after the play-offs at the end of last season. It’s was just great to get my first goal and hopefully that kickstarts something now.

“We were unlucky not to get the three points. Our home record has been first class and people shouldn’t come here and underestimate us in any way. We were beaten at home by Glenavon 2-1 and the penalty they got was never a penalty. We definitely should have got something out of that game. That’s been our only defeat here and now we need to start picking up a few points on the road.

“We’ve had two draws now the last two games and we maybe should have had two wins. Last week’s result against Warrenpoint was a bit of sucker-punch with their late goal and it almost felt like a defeat at the end of the game. But it was another point and today was a good point, but there’s no point in doing the hard work and then throwing it all away next week. We have to go and get something at Ballymena in order to build momentum,” Carville added.

NEWRY: Coleman, Montgomery, King (Delaney, 86 mins), Noonan, Boyle, McCann, Walker, S Hughes, Lavery, Carville, M Hughes. Unused subs: Maguire, McCabe, Mullen, Johnston, Teggart, McArdle COLERAINE: Johns, Canning, Mullan, Crown, O’Donnell, Lowry, Harkin, McCauley, Parkhill (McLaughlin, 77 mins), McGonigle, Burns. Unused subs: Doherty, Douglas, McConaghie, Gawne, Owens. Referee: Tony Clarke (Newtownabbey) Man of the match: Declan Carville

Match rating: 8/10 Back up front: Declan Carville has moved forward for Newry