Our Shield!

We only have had it less than a year and already they're trying to take it away from us, but our manager, Spike Ferguson, says we're going to fight 'tooth and nail' to keep the County Antrim Shield, at the Showgrounds. The best way of doing this in our opinion, would be picking a strong line-up against tomorrows opponents DC, we would be in favour of Spike saying same again for Saturdays starting eleven, if fit, but we would expect him to jig it a wee bit, but not making the wholesale changes that so nearly cost us at home to Ballymoney United in the league cup. No offence to DC, who warmed up for this tie by beating Coagh United 6-1 on Saturday, United should have too much firepower, but the attitude needs to be right also. With ex-Ballymena man, Conor Downey, still pulling the strings in midfield, United will have to be wary of the threat of Kevin Hughes, who scored two on Saturday against bottom club Coagh, no half-hearted tackles, thank-you very much.

With Cush showing signs of getting back to match fitness, Spike maybe could be left with the dilemma of who to leave out, for we think the nucleus of the side that started on Saturday, will need time to gel. We still don't know MM's true position in the scheme of things, in his debut against former club, Portadown, he started as the target man, but in the 2nd half at Windsor Park and again last Saturday, he was tried wide right, where he doesn't seem to be quite as effective. Maybe we need a completely new plan of action, like an orthodox 4,4,2 with the two strikers finding space wherever they can. Will Fergie be tempted to give Johnny Taylor and Dwayne a rest and maybe Liggie and Thommo, but we hope he stops there. Thommo has started every game this season and could get rested if Jenks is free to resume, having served his suspension, or will we not bring him over for this game?

The fickle supporters of the Sky Blue persuasion have a chance to show their appreciation to the players who ended our trophy famine last December, after 23 barren years, by turning up in numbers tomorrow night, but will they find an excuse not to, your guess as is good as ours? DC will be up for the match and will want to take a big scalp and maybe get a trip to Windsor Park or Solitude in the semi-finals and get much needed money into the coffers, so we need to be on our guard. As long as the fates haven't declared that Raymond Crangle or Hugh Carvill will referee, we should be alright, but we need to be professional. When we started our Shield run against Chickenville last season, if wasn't a pretty match, but we stuck at our task and got the job done and triumphed in the end. Now a year on, nobody is going to lie down for us, we got to make sure and win at any costs, so come on Sky Blues, lets shag those Suffolk ewes!