Welders hoping Smyth can wave his magic wand for second time
CRUSADERS boss Stephen Baxter believes the race for the Danske Bank Premiership title has become so intense that every game now has a ‘pressure cooker’ feel about it.
The Shore Road boys know a thing or two about lifting the Gibson Cup, having been crowned champions three times in the last five years.
They have won it at a canter, but they’ve also experienced the pressure of a final-day shoot-out.
Baxter reckons the current campaign could well be the tightest yet — the top four have all had a turn at leading the way, with Linfield now in pole position.
The north Belfast side recovered from an October wobble when they lost to Coleraine and drew with Glenavon and Ballymena United, but still approached this month sitting pretty at the summit.
However, a shock defeat by David Jeffrey’s previously struggling Sky Blues at Seaview last Saturday was enough to topple the Crues from their lofty spot.
With merely five points separating the top five clubs, Baxter’s pressure cooker theory appears to be right on the money.
“It’s the mark of how many quality teams are around the league this season, there are no easy points to be had,” he said. “You have to go out and earn those points every single week.
“You can’t afford to take anything for granted. That was highlighted at the weekend when we were beaten by Ballymena United, who hadn’t won in their previous 10 games.
“They just don’t turn up and say, ‘Here is three easy points’ — it just doesn’t work that way. You must fight hard week in, week out to get anything out of a game.
“Our guys are working incredibly hard, I have nothing but praise for them. We may have lost last week against Ballymena but I thought they were excellent.
“There were some good performances in there. We passed the ball really well and did what was asked of them, so I didn’t go away disappointed even in defeat because of the team’s performance. On another day we could have won the game quite comfortably.”
Following that defeat, the pressure will be cranked up even further on Baxter’s troops tomorrow when they make the short trip to face Mick McDermott’s (left) rejuvenated Glentoran at The Oval — a team also right up there in the title mix.
The heavy investment by new owner Ali Pour, which allowed McDermott to delve heavily into the transfer market — he has brought in players from Croatia, Netherlands, Republic of Ireland and England — has paid an almost immediate dividend.
“It’s another massive game for both clubs,” added Baxter.
“What happened at Glentoran has been magnificent and
Danske Bank Premiership
has been great for the league in general.
“Glentoran is a massive club with a big fanbase — it’s an institution of Irish League football. Even when the club was in the doldrums for a few years, we never got it easy at The Oval.
“This will be another battle. There is nothing easy in this league, the pressure is on in every game. Thank goodness we had no midweek commitment.
“There has been a lot of football played, so we needed to get a few bodies rested and fit again. We have had a lot of injuries about the club. I’m sure every manager is in the same position.
“There is a big Christmas programme coming up. I will look to try to get one or two players rested ahead of that. Every squad is going to be stretched, we all have something like four games in nine days. We’ll meet that challenge when it comes around.”
Back again: Gary Smyth has retaken the reins at Welders
GLENTORAN legend Gary Smyth is back in management with his former club Harland and Wolff Welders.
Smyth will initially take charge for the rest of the season following the departure this week of Colin McIlwaine and George O’Boyle.
Smyth was hugely successful in his previous spell at the Welders, winning the Steel and Sons Cup in 2015.
Club chairman Thomas Flynn and the board at the east Belfast club, currently fourth bottom in the Championship, are delighted that Smyth has returned to take the reins after leaving to coach at Glentoran last year.
When Ronnie McFall left the manager’s role at The Oval in January, Smyth took over but was only in charge until March, with Mick McDermott replacing him. The former defender is determined to move on with his career, starting tomorrow when the Welders host Knockbreda.
Another man returning to his old club, John Bailie, will take charge of Ards tomorrow for the first time at Dundela.
Unless there is a miracle, Bailie’s first chance of achieving promotion will come next season. Right now Ards, in sixth, are too far adrift of the top two Portadown and Ballinamallard.
At Wilgar Park, respect will be paid to former Ards player Jerry Thompson, whose sudden death this week stunned football in Northern Ireland.
It will be the same at Ferney Park, where Ballinamallard face Portadown, who Thompson also played with.
So that Ports officials, management and players can attend Jerry’s funeral tomorrow morning, the encounter between the top two in Fermanagh will start at 5pm.
Matthew Tipton’s men are six points clear of Harry McConkey’s side. If they earn an away win, they will be odds-on favourites to go up as champions.
Should the Mallards come out on top, the title race is well and truly on.
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