THEY’RE LIN THE MIX

Jeffrey: Anyone who reckons the champs cannot retain their title clearly knows nothing about the game of football

DAVID JEFFREY says anyone writing off Linfield “knows nothing about football”.

Jeffrey’s Ballymena United take on a rejuvenated Blues side this evening after their County Antrim Shield semi-final win over Glentoran in midweek.

That made it five games unbeaten for David Healy’s men after what has been a stuttering start to their league title defence.

They find themselves nine points off league leaders Larne but Jeffrey insists they should not be ruled out of the running.

“Anyone that writes Linfield off knows nothing about the game of football,” said the Sky Blues manager.

“They will see us as a big opportunity to collect three points.

“The last time they came up to Ballymena they won quite comfortably.

“David has done tremendously well at Linfield.

“I don’t think people fully appreciate what he’s achieved, maybe you’ve got to have been a manager at Linfield to understand what he’s done.

“If we are to do anything then we have to be right at it from the word go.

“The only way we will compete is if we show something similar to

Monday night against Crusaders.”

Ballymena have been buoyed by their performance and victory at Seaview, but Jeffrey wants more consistency from his players after a frustrating run of results.

“When we played Newry at home our stats were through the roof,” he said.

“We go to Newry a few days later but we don’t repeat that level of performance, but I think we showed enough to come away with the draw.

“I said to the players before the Crusaders game that if we are to compete we can’t afford to not be working at that level.

“It’s a consistency issue. “Hopefully over the piece we can continue to learn and people will realise what they have to do on a regular and consistent basis.

“I thought we were in the ascendancy in the first half against Crusaders and could have come in two goals to the good, we didn’t.

“The second half was about us making sure we didn’t make mistakes or become complacent.

“We showed real resolve and resilience to see the game out.

“It was no coincidence that Douglas Wilson and Evan Tweed were back in again.”

RAISE OUR GAME David Jeffrey has called on his Ballymena players to show a bit more consistency