Braidmen wary of buoyant Swifts, admits boss Jeffrey

BALLYMENA United boss David Jeffrey believes Dungannon Swifts will come to the Warden Street Showgrounds today without fear.

The Danske Bank Premiership’s basement team racked up their first win under new boss Dean Shiels on Tuesday night — an unexpected victory over Crusaders — and Jeffrey reckons they will be buoyed by that result.

United also did themselves proud with a display of guts, hunger and passion, and remained on course for a top-six place by beating table-topping Linfield at their Warden Street base.

“Dungannon had a fantastic result in midweek against Crusaders,” said Jeffrey. “Young Mr Shiels will be coming here with the monkey off his back after getting his first win.

“His team will be coming with no fear, so there is no doubt Dean will be looking for another three points. I’ve told the players, regardless of the opposition, every single game is a battle and a challenge. If we are to get anything from the fixture, we must perform to the same levels we did against Linfield in midweek.”

Even though United were missing a posse of first-team regulars through injury, suspension and international commitments, their performance against the champions left Jeffrey beaming.

He added: “Linfield were excellent in the first half, their movement, flexibility, pace and creativity was impressive and we had to work extremely hard.

“I thought Jim Ervin was immense, he organised everything at the back for us. We needed people to respond to instruction and I thought the players did that fantastically well.

“With the game still scoreless at half-time, it was important we remained strong in the second half. As the game went on, we got ourselves more into it with a brilliantly well-worked goal from Conor Keeley.

“We knew Linfield would respond, and true enough, the onslaught arrived. They got the penalty, which I’ve no complaints with, the referee, Shane Andrews, was close to the incident.

“And we knew Linfield would go for it after that, so the question was could we stand up to face them, but to a man my boys were brilliant.

“I knew then we wouldn’t be beaten — there was not a chance. Then we got the late goal (from Keeley), with a wee bit of good fortune. I am so proud of them.”