All units within team have to function together - Stewart

While there was thankfully no blood shed on Friday night’s return to Ferney Park, the outcome of the match produced a different sort of headache for ‘Archie’.

“Given our need for points, I would have taken a cut head if it had meant getting the solid draw that we managed down there the last time,” Aaron told Times Sport.

“It’s a difficult time for us at the minute because at a time when we’re doing quite well defensively. we’re struggling to score goals.

“There have been other times when the strikers have been firing on all cylinders but we couldn’t keep clean sheets at the other end of the pitch.

“It shows the importance of every unit within a team functioning at the same time if you want to be successful.

“We just seem to be on a roundabout of being capable of beating any team in the league but equally, being capable of losing to any team - we need to find some sort of consistency.”

Stewart is acutely aware of the importance of this week’s League Cup tie against Ballinamallard, which is followed by Saturday’s home league game against Coleraine.

“We said after we struggled through the last round on penalties against Ballymoney that it was the type of match we might look back if we were lifting the trophy and it served as a good lesson that we have to approach every game the same way.

“I thought Friday night’s match against Ballinamallard was fairly evenly-matched so we need to produce that type of performance again and try to convert some of our chances because want to go further in the competition.”

‘Archie’ is also looking forward to Saturday’s ‘derby’ clash with Coleraine - despite United’s abysmal record in recent fixtures between the two sides.

“I must be one of very few players in the squad who has been on the winning side in a ‘derby’.

“In my first season we won 2-0 on Boxing Day and then the following season we won 3-2, with Andy Smith scoring, which tells you how far back it was!

“Since then our record has been pretty poor but, like ourselves, Coleraine haven’t hit top form this season and we should have absolutely nothing to fear going into the game.

“Hopefully the fans will continue to give us their backing, but I’m a firm believer that it’s up to us as players to lift the fans by what we do on the pitch,” added Aaron.