Tough Game!

When we read the fixture list at the start of season, we realised this would be a bloody tough fixture, away to Ballyinmallard, after entertaining champions Linfield and a visit to Seaview to take on the Crues, the 4th best team in the league. Now after them two strength sapping games we find ourselves going to Fermanagh to take on the newly promoted Mallards, who only last week thumped Lisburn Distillery 5-0, we at 'Sport are convinced that no-one at the I.F.A. particularly likes us. Well truth to tell we've known that for years, but there's no need to emphasise that point is there. Maybe we've upset the powers that be with our appeal against being thrown out of the Irish cup last season due to the Alan D fiasco. But whatever the reason, we just have to face facts and get on with it.

Spike has intimated that he will use the same panel of players, barring injuries, so that means we expect very little change to our starting line-up, but maybe a wee tweak here and there will do no harm. We thought Ally Teggart was just not up to scratch last week and maybe Tony Kane could move into midfield and let the Cush take up Ally's position on the left. We also thought there would be a case for restoring Gavin to midfield, Archie's done a tremendous job, but Westy is the best man for that position. It'd be hard on Archie we know and Spike will maybe be reluctant to break up the Cookie/Taylor partnership, to allow Archie to slip into his more accustomed central defensive role, but we're only guessing here.

No news on the injury front, as far as we know Baker and Elvis are still out, never mind a striker who'd get goals, we can't get one that is fit. The versatile Sparky, can play up front in a pinch but he's not what we need, we need someone to take the weight off Jamie D and Sparky is not our man. Roy Walker tried playing Jenks up front but it didn't work out, we don't know about Spike and the boys, but we are fresh out of ideas. Omar said that years ago we had a centre-half, Jimmy Small, who converted to centre-forward (striker) for a season or two, maybe we ought to try Archie up there or maybe not. It being 'Black Saturday' we aren't expecting many of the faithful to be making the trip, but you never know, it is our first competitive visit to Ballyinmallard and that might just tempt a few folks to make the trip. So come Sky Blues, let's shag those Mallards (or would that be just 'ducking' the issue), we had to have at least one pun!