COLERAINE defender David Ogilby has said that the team’s key goal has not been altered despite the Bannsiders making it six league wins from six following Saturday’s 3-0 win in Ards.
Before the start of the season, Ogilby was on record as saying that their main aim this season was to cut the gap on Linfield and Crusaders with Oran Kearney’s side finishing 22 points behind Crusaders and 24 points behind the Windsor Park men last year despite finishing third in the table.
They currently occupy top spot and are three points clear of Linfield, who do have a game in hand, but Ogilby said that they had a long way to go before being considered as genuine title contenders.
“That hasn’t changed,” the defender said of their main goal.
“Linfield and Crusaders were a bit ahead of everyone last year and our aim still is to close that gap.
“That’s what we’re trying to do although obviously we are delighted with the way we have started.
“It’s a long winter ahead of us, there will be ups and downs and it’s about how you deal with those ups and downs.
“When we come out the other side of that winter, we’ll see where we are at then.”
It may have been the side’s six straight win, but it was only their second clean sheet, and Ogilby said that their shutout was most pleasing, especially as their manager had read the riot act after their 4-2 win over Glenavon the previous weekend.
“It was a great win because there was very little between the teams in the first half,” he said.
“The second half, Jamie McGonigle came on and probably changed the game.
“That’s six out of six now and you couldn’t ask for anything more.
“We beat Glenavon 4-2 the week before and we got a bit of a dressing down from Oran because we conceded two goals.
“We were under a bit of pressure to keep a clean sheet and to keep Oran off our backs. That was as pleasing as the win.
“We had to dig in to see it out in the last 10 minutes but it was great to get that as well as the victory.”
The Bannsiders had to wait until the 56th minute to open the scoring when Josh Carson found the net whilst Darren McCauley then added a brace, the second goal coming from the penalty spot.
Ogilby said that it was another sign of the progress the squad seems to be making.
“You’re not going to score three in the first half every week,” he said.
“You have to be patient. Teams like Ards play one up front and they frustrated us a bit in the first half.
“When you’re on a run like we are teams will try and do that to you.
“We have to show a bit of maturity and a bit of patience and you have to keep the belief that the goals will come.”
Linfield kept the pressure on at the top following their 1-0 home win against Glentoran, Aaron Burns’s early goal proving enough.
Cliftonville, meanwhile, got back to winning ways as they defeated Dungannon Swifts 2-1 at Solitude.
Garry Breen opened the scoring for the Reds with a header just after the interval before Joe Gormley doubled their advantage. Chris Hegarty responded for the visitors, but Barry Gray’s side held on.
Elsewhere, struggling Warrenpoint Town went down 3-1 at home to Ballymena United while Crusaders were comfortable 5-1 winners away to Ballinamallard United.
