INSTITUTE: Boss Deery looking up the table

H&W Welders keeper Michael Dougherty rushes off his line to challenge Institute striker Gareth Brown. INLS0816-101KM

Despite sitting third from bottom in Championship One the Drumahoe club is the in-form side in the division.

Stute have picked up 10 points from their last four league games and Deery continues to keep eyes above him in the table and is looking to close the gap with those sides who are above his team.

“We have a game in hand over Welders now and if we win that we will be nine points off them,” he said.

“People have compared us to teams like Donegal Celtic and Lisburn Distillery but we have a lot of games in hand over them and we are nearly ten points clear of them.

“We’re closer to the top end of the table rather than the bottom of the table.

“I would say to people to come and watch us and assess us. We have deserved more points than we have got but we’re starting to get our rewards now for our hard work.”

Deery also believes the recent addition from Ballinamallard United of Michael McCrudden, who made his debut in the win over the Welders at the weekend, also proves that things are going in the right direction and long may that continue as far as the boss is concerned.

The ex-Derry City skipper concedes he will be happy to have more sleepless nights as he tries to select his team each week, as long as the current competition for places situation continues and more importantly they continue their good form.

“If you can attract Michael McCrudden to the club, who probably had the choice to go to other clubs, then there’s something going right here,” he added. “He’s come in and he’s been a breath of fresh air and he has that wee bit of experience that we needed.

“Niall Grace has also come in from Trojans and he’s a top player. I’ve always spoken about him and there’s also boys who sit on the bench who are a massive part of the squad and there are four or five in the house.

“It’s a terrible thing for me but it’s a good thing as well. I don’t like leaving people out, I genuinely don’t but it’s part of the job. You have to make decisions and when you get your rewards like we did against Welders, it’s a really good feeling.”