Honesty is not always the best policy, insists Town boss Gray
Jamie Harney credits manager Paddy McLaughlin for turning the Cliftonville defence into the meanest in the league.
The rampaging Reds have conceded just 10 goals from their 17 starts so far — a staggering 13 fewer than the same stage 12 months ago.
A hard-fought draw at Larne last week meant that McLaughlin’s boys were nudged off top spot in the Danske Bank Premiership table — but only on goal difference.
Harney, who has made an outstanding contribution alongside Garry Breen in the heart of the Reds backline, insists McLaughlin has helped breathe a new confidence not only into the back four, but throughout the entire team.
Their resolve will again be put to the test against Mick McDermott’s Glentoran, who will today arrive at Solitude looking for a little bit of revenge following a recent County Antrim Shield semi-final defeat.
“There are a lot of things that have contributed to us stopping conceding sill goals,” said Harney. “Paddy has given us a lot of confidence as a back four. We also had a determination and bite in our game, but we lost it to a certain extent last season. I just feel we all have confidence in our own ability now.
“In many ways, I think we’ve gone back to the basics. Paddy likes us to get the ball down and play and we try to do that.
“We know if we keep a clean sheet, we’ll go very close to winning any game because of the strikeforce we have. We now have a really good focus.
“Garry and I have formed a good understanding and we take great pride in keeping clean sheets. It’s going well so far, but there is still a long way to go — we are just over a third through the league programme.”
The Reds approach today’s game on the back of a 1-1 draw with Larne. Although Breen headed into his own net to gift the home team the lead, the defender laid on the equaliser for Joe Gormley, who smashed home a goal of the season contender.
“In the grand scheme of things, a draw was not a bad result,” said Harney. “After two difficult games, some of the boys were out on their feet towards the end. But it’s a tough league, so we were happy to get a point. Larne are a good side, especially on their home pitch.
“Both teams had half chances here and there, but generally both defences came out on top. Garry was unlucky with their goal, (Davy) McDaid put in a great cross. If Garry hadn’t played the ball, (Johnny) McMurray was putting it in anyway.
“But it didn’t affect him beIMPRESSIVE
GLENTORAN have snapped up ex-Finn Harps centre-back Keith Cowan in a sign of intent and the new arrivals won’t end there, writes Steven Beacom.
The 34-year-old won’t be able to play for his new club until January but manager Mick McDermott feels the experienced defender will be a vital addition to his squad for the second half of the season. The Donegal native (right) helped Finn Harps stay in the top flight in the League of Ireland with an end-of-season play-off win over Drogheda and if he shines like McDermott’s
cause 10 minutes later he set up the equaliser for Joe.”
Harney is expecting another difficult day at the office against McDermott’s improving Glens.
“We always get a tough time against Glentoran,” he went on. “But we try to focus on what we do. We are in a good place at the other signings he will quickly become a crowd favourite.
Already, players such as Elvio van Overbeek, Hrvoje Plum, Navid Nasseri and Patrick McClean have shone for the Glens in their climb to fifth place in the table. Cowan will be given his chance early next year. The east Belfast outfit are also believed to be interested in recruiting other players including highly-rated right-back Conor McDermott, who is on loan with Cliftonville from Derry City.
Ironically, McDermott, who scored a
minute and it’s good to be challenging at the top.
“Paddy is very much a manager that keeps our feet on the ground. If we start getting ahead of ourselves and start listening to what people are saying about us, we’ll be brought down to earth very quickly. wonder goal from his own half against Warrenpoint earlier in the season, will face the Glens at Solitude today in an important league encounter. Meanwhile, Calum Birney is on his way back from injury after playing in an Under-20s game for the Glens on Wednesday night.
Glens boss McDermott said: “We have big games with Cliftonville, Crusaders and Linfield coming up in the next month. The players are up for these challenges and we want to be in the mix going into January.” Glentoran’s last victory at Solitude was in April 2016 when Marcus Kane and Curtis Allen gave them a 2-0 win.
“There is no point in looking at the table. With the Christmas period coming up, with five games in such a short space of time, anything can happen.
“There are a lot of things that can change. It’s good to have a bit of momentum going, so hopefully we can maintain that.”
Speaking out: Barry Gray says Warrenpoint are on the up
BARRY Gray believes the Warrenpoint Town players are too honest for their own good.
Gray felt that had Lorcan Forde gone down when challenged inside the box last weekend against Crusaders his team would have had a penalty and an opportunity to salvage a draw. Instead Forde, on loan from Linfield, stayed on his feet and referee Tony Clarke didn’t have a decision to make.
Whether it would have been a penalty is another debate but Gray’s comments are fascinating ahead of a crucial match with David Jeffrey’s Ballymena United at Milltown today.
Gray said: “I thought Lorcan Forde should have gone down when he felt the contact. He was far too honest and I would say we are far too honest right across the park, even with free-kicks. If you are too honest you make easy decisions for referees.”
In his second spell in charge at the club, Gray believes he is starting to get somewhere after taking over from Stephen McDonnell last month.
Town defeated Coleraine 3-1 and ran the Crues close before losing 1-0. This is their third home league game in a row and with Ballymena last winning in the Danske Bank Premiership in September bottom of the table Warrenpoint are relishing the contest.
“Up to a few weeks ago we were averaging minus four goals per game and didn’t look like we could score,” declared Gray.
“Now we are looking like we can score even though we have only one striker and we look like a team that can defend, and that gives us a chance.
“What I’ve said to the players is that the ethos here has to be a collective. I have to prove to them that me and my management team will pick up things that will be beneficial to them and then they have to go and deliver it. We are in this together.
“This isn’t about me having a particular way that I want to do things. I have to do it the way that suits the group that we have or else we are wasting our time.
“We have found parts of a system and a style that would appear to work for them and we’ll try and build on that.”