GARY ON LIKE THIS PLEASE.. New signing Liggett helps lift Uprichard’s spirits

DOLLINGSTOWN boss Stephen Uprichard insists there’s a new-found belief within his players as they look to map out a path to survival.

He watched on in delight at the weekend as new boy Gary Liggett helped himself to a brace to shoot down Armagh City at Holm Park.

With the ever-reliable Richy Thompson also at the double and Keith Johnston added to the options after joining from Newry City AFC, confidence is starting to coarse through Dollybird veins again.

Saturday was a second successive 4-1 triumph away from home and came on the back of a draw with league leaders Queen’s and wins over Lisburn Distillery and, in the Match Intermediate Cup, Hanover.

Former Loughgall man Liggett was a threat from the opening seconds of Saturday’s match in Armagh.

And Uprichard believes the 31-yearold will thrive at Planter’s Park.

He revealed: “Gary probably lives closer to our ground than any of the other boys.

“He’s about a street away so it’s the perfect scenario to have him at the club.

“He’s good friends with a lot of the lads so he’ll fit in really well.

“I’ve tried to sign him a few times over the years but could never get him so I’m delighted he’s here. Saturday showed what he is capable of with the two goals and hopefully that will give him all the confidence he needs.

“As well as Gary, we’ve brought in Keith Johnston but unfortunately he’s picked up a hamstring injury.

“Richy Thompson came off on Saturday after hurting his groin and another of the new lads, Colin Cunningham, is working on his fitness at the minute.

“But if we can get all those attackers we have fit and firing them it will give me great options.

“Ryan Lawless is another experienced lad who is now available and young Adam Patterson is getting used to the physicality of the league.

“He’s a very good player and busting to get going and we’ve Elliott Rea with us who is excellent and played first team football with Annagh.

“Those are the sort of guys we want to build things around long-term.”

There’s no chance of travel sickness this coming weekend for Dollingstown as they go three miles to Lurgan Celtic in a derby dust-up.

A win would take Uprichard’s men to within two points of the Hoops, who have endured an inconsistent return to the third tier.

However, a thumping win away at Sport and Leisure at the weekend underlined what they’re capable of. In addition, last week’s draw paired Dollingstown with a trip to Banbridge Rangers in the quarter-finals of the Match Intermediate Cup.

And having faced the Gers many times in the Mid-ulster ranks and beaten their stablemates Hanover in the previous round, there’s little chance of Uprichard underestimating the Cheney Park men come March 9.

He said: “Our next two or three games are going to be massive.

“Saturday is a big local derby with everything that goes with that.

“Gerard [Mcmahon] has got them playing well and they had a great win of their own at the weekend.

“From our point of view, we have got to keep it going.

“We had been playing well enough before Christmas but just not getting the results, things weren’t happening for us.

“But we have a great group here at Dollingstown, they’re all honest lads and they worked so hard to get the results they’ve had.

“They know they have to fight for every point and credit to them for doing that.”

He added: “Ally [Banbridge Rangers manager

Wilson] phoned me after the draw for the Intermediate Cup and we’re both really looking forward to it. “There’s big respect between the two clubs and Banbridge Rangers’ wins in the previous two rounds, against Maiden City and East Belfast, were absolutely brilliant.

“We know full well what we’ll be facing in that one, just as we know what to expect from Lurgan Celtic.

“We had a very good result on Saturday where we took our chances after a tight start to the game against Armagh.

“It seems to be when we get a good result the teams around us do the same but all we can do is look after ourselves.”