Coleraine v Glentoran (today, The Showgrounds, 3pm)
COLERAINE can keep the pressure on Cliftonville in the battle for third place when they host Glentoran at Ballycastle Road tomorrow.
The Bannsiders are on a terrific run of form that has yielded nine wins and a draw from 10 matches in all competitions, while the Glens have won just twice in their last 15 games.
“The lads have done brilliant,” said experienced midfielder Neil McCafferty who has been battling to get back into the starting line-up after losing his place following suspension.
“We had a wee bad patch earlier in the season when we lost five or six in-a-row and everyone was panicking thinking the worst, but we always knew we would turn it around. This is the business end of the year so you don’t mind having a wee hiccough before Christmas.
“When we were losing games we just kept the heads down, we didn’t change anything really – sometimes you go on a bad run, but if you keep believing in what you’re doing it’ll turn. And it did.”
McCafferty concedes that league leaders Crusaders (22 points ahead) and second-placed Linfield (15 points ahead) are out of reach, but Coleraine can close to within a point of Cliftonville (who travel to Windsor Park to meet Linfield on Monday night) with victory this afternoon.
“Cliftonville, Ballymena and us are all looking to finish third,” he said.
“At the moment all we think about is three points on Saturday so we can close the gap on Cliftonville. The games are running down so you need to get results quick if you want to keep climbing the table and we do.”
It would be a major surprise if Coleraine failed to take all three points this afternoon since they have beaten Glentoran twice already this season – 4-1 at home and 1-0 at the Oval.
“They’ve had a managerial change and they’ve gone through a difficult period for such a big club,” said McCafferty.
“The two times we’ve played them we’ve beat them quite convincingly but they are a decent side and anybody can beat anybody else on their day. We’re on a good run of form and confidence is high so we think we can beat anybody including the top two.
“But on an off day you could lose to anybody so you have to turn up as if you’re playing Linfield or Crusaders every week and that’s what we’ll be doing. I’m sure Glentoran will be looking at it and thinking they can beat us as well.”
Danske Bank Premiership: Crusaders v Carrick Rangers (today, 3pm)
TOP hosts second-from-bottom at Seaview this afternoon and there’s no real prospect of a turn up for the books for struggling Carrick.
Crusaders go into the match on the back of a seven-game unbeaten run that includes six wins and they should extend it this afternoon and, with second-placed Linfield not in action until Monday night, they could open a 10-point gap at the summit of the Danske Bank Premiership in the process.
Carrick old boy Paul Heatley bagged a hat-trick to seal a 3-1 win for the Crues when these sides last met in October and Carrick’s cause has not been helped by the loss of defender Paddy McNally (suspended) for the game.
Prediction: Crusaders
Glenavon v Dungannon Swifts (today, 3pm)
GLENAVON can cement their place in the top six ahead of the league split later this month if they defeat Dungannon Swifts at Mourneview Park.
The Lurgan Blues have not won two league games in-a-row all season but are unbeaten in five in all competitions.
The Swifts have taken just one point from their last three top-flight outings but Andy Mitchell scored an 89th-minute winner in the most recent encounter between the clubs.
Prediction: Glenavon
Ballymena United v Portadown (today, 3pm)
BALLYMENA United and Portadown will hope to quickly overcome their Irish Cup quarter-final thumpings at the hands of derby rivals Coleraine and Glenavon respectively last week when they lock horns at the Showgrounds.
The Ports have secured morale-boosting draws from their last two Premiership fixtures against title chasing duo Linfield and Crusaders but are still 11 points adrift of Carrick Rangers at the foot of the table.
Prediction: Ballymena
