Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
UNITED FRONT
Jeffrey tells Sky Blues to pull together & embrace tough start
BALLYMENA United boss David Jeffrey has told his new-look Sky Blues to revel in their daunting start to the new Irish League season.
A week after securing a 1-0 win with 10-men at derby rivals Coleraine thanks to Kofi Balmer’s header, United face reigning champions Linfield at the Showgrounds.
And it doesn’t get any easier next week when they travel to face Larne, who have won 10 of their last 11 games in all competitions, at Inver Park.
Early season dates with last season’s top two and one of the league’s in-form teams is a challenging start but Jeffrey isn’t fazed.
“These are games you can look at in two ways,” he said. “You can look at it in a positive way – as a brilliant challenge – or in a negative way.
“That isn’t in my nature. You can be fearful but I don’t remember too many times being fearful as a player or manager so I’m looking at it as a challenge to be embraced. Linfield are the stand-out team, they are the champions, yet again they have recruited very well and yet again they have an immensely strong squad.
“We’re under no illusions but what I will ask of my players is exactly what I asked last week at Coleraine raine – go out, do your best and see where re it takes us.”
Ballymena had no fewer than n six new faces in their line-up last week eek at Coleraine, including twice capped pped Northern Ireland forward Shay hay Mccartan.
Winger Ryan Waide, striker
P a u l Mc E l r o y, teenage defender Tr a i H u m e , centre-back Ciaran Kelly and seasoned left-back Ross
Redman also made their competitive debuts.
“It was always going to be really difficult going down to o Coleraine on the opening night ht of the new campaign but I felt we equipped ourselves very well,” said 57-year-old boss Jeffrey. “It was a tough opener but I was pleased with the whole performance and I felt we gave a good account of ourselves. There was great energy and commitment from the players but also a real focus.” Ballymena are without the banned
Josh Kelly after an appeal against the midfielder’s contentious red card at Coleraine (below) was rejected by the Irish FA in midweek.
Referee Andrew Davey had a yellow card in his hand for Kelly’s foul on Stewart Nixon but switched it to a red – to the sho shock of neutral observers. “To start the new season with three points and clean sheet was really pleasing but bu it was tarnished by Josh’s sending sending-off,” said Jeffrey. “It was a big decision d but thankfully it didn didn’t cost us. I thought we showed sho a really never-say-die at attitude with 10 men.
“We also played some very good football and I don’t think anyone could say we didn’t deserve our victory.” Young Ballymena right-back Hume, on loan from Linfield, is not permitted to play against the Blu es who b eat Carrick Rangers 5-1 at Windsor Park last Saturday.