CHRIS SHERRARD

Glenavon loanee bags a double to pick up Match Intermediate Cup Tie of the Round MOM award and sets sights on increasing his tally

HOT shot Stephen Mccavitt wants to continue to hit the heights for Banbridge Town.

The 21-year-old netted a double to help send the side managed by Stuart King (right) into round two of the Match Intermediate Cup at the weekend.

Mccavitt, on loan from Glenavon, and his team-mates can now look forward to a home second round tie against Sirocco Works.

That was their reward for a comfortable weekend victory against Lisburn Distillery at Crystal Park.

Now the focus shifts to the Bob Radcliffe Cup with a quarter-final at home this Saturday against last season’s beaten finalists Valley Rangers.

After that it’s a trip to Strabane in the third round of the Irish Cup before going to Portadown in the Mid-ulster Cup and a return to Premier Intermediate League action.

And, with the club also one of the genuine contenders to win the division this season, Mccavitt has backed himself to continue to score the goals which keep the good times rolling for the boys from the Co Down.

He told Match On Tuesday: “Last season at Glenavon I wasn’t playing much and it was frustrating.

“I’m at a stage in my career where I need to be playing football so it’s great to be doing that again. I enjoy playing for Banbridge Town, we’ve a good team spirit and a good team.

“I hadn’t scored in a few games so it was a nice feeling to get two at the weekend.

“I can get frustrated with myself when I’m not scoring so I just need to learn to overcome that but my team-mates are helping with that.

“The team is set up to create a lot of chances and as a striker you have to back yourself to take those and be the one who scores the goals.

“I’ve set myself a target of getting to 20 goals this season so hopefully they continue to come for me now.

“Even if they don’t, the most important thing is the team continues to win.”

Mccavitt was the star of the show as Banbridge blasted past the Whites at the weekend.

He helped himself to a double and Michael Allison got the other as Town saw off Distillery by three goals to one.

There has been a stark absence of league fixtures in the early part of this campaign with the majority of the focus on the cups. And Mccavitt has called on his side to continue to thrive in the knock-outs – so they don’t end up on the sidelines.

He said: “It’s all about the cups at the minute and we have been doing well in them so we want that to continue.

“If you get knocked out of the cups you’re going to end up not playing on some weekends which isn’t ideal because you can lose your form.

“So there’s a good buzz about the club at the minute because we’re doing well in the cups and we’re looking to take that feeling on in to the games coming up.

“We have a sense of momentum in the group so hopefully we can kick on now.”