Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
DAVID & GOLIATH
Ballymena gaffer says he’s thrilled with underdogs’ place in league table
BALLYMENA UNITED boss David Jeffrey freely admits he didn’t expect his new look Sky Blues to be in the thick of a title race at the end of February.
The Braidmen lie just six points off leaders Linfield with a game in hand heading into today’s top-of-the-table showdown at Windsor Park.
To call United, who were 50/1 outsiders to lift the Gibson Cup back in August, this season’s surprise package is an understatement.
And Jeffrey, who led today’s opponents to nine league titles and a raft of other trophies during his 17 year reign as Linfield manager, agrees.
“It’s very simple,” he said. “We didn’t expect to be where we are at this stage of the season.
“To be lying second at the end of February is a credit to the players, but our feet are still where they were back in August, firmly planted on the ground.
“I’ve been around this league long enough to know things can change almost overnight. There are still an awful lot of points to play for.
“We had two targets at the start of the season – try and secure top six and qualify for Europe. We’ve achieved the first target and our attention is now on the second.
“We’re punching above our weight in terms of resources and whatever else you want to mention, so to be where we are is very pleasing, but we’re not getting carried away.”
Linfield, who are odds on to lift the Gibson Cup, edged out Ballymena in last Saturday’s League Cup final thanks to a clinical first-half strike from Andy Waterworth.
Seven days later Jeffrey, who saw the visitors twice rattle the woodwork and boss large parts of the game, is bracing himself for another high stakes encounter.
“After the initial pain and hurt of defeat in last week’s final, the overriding emotion for me was pride in my players and the way they performed,” he said.
“The level to which we played was first class, but that’s gone now and our attention turns to the league. We know how big a task it’ll be.
“It’s nice that people are still telling us how well we played in the League Cup final, but that goes out the window and we have to rise to another challenge.”
On the value of the three points on offer today,
Jeffrey said: “I’ve been asked about the table nearly every week since December, but our focus is only ever on the next game.
“Our target now is pretty straightforward. Our aim is to keep picking up points so we can crack Europe. That’s the page we’re on and where our focus lies.”
Ballymena are without midfielder James Knowles who picked up an injury in last week’s narrow
League Cup final defeat to the
Blues at
Windsor.