McConnell hopes Larne can find spark against Welders

“I think I’m right is calling them our bogey team because I can’t remember the last time we got a result against the Welders. I believe it’s a fact that we have never beaten them in Championship One and they have had the better of us as well in things like the Intermediate Cup and Steel and Sons Cup over the years,” said McConnell.

“We needed that friendly game against Derry City on Saturday, because we haven’t played for a fortnight and it was a great work-out for us. They were a very young side, but a very good side and it was a good, entertaining match, one that was as competitive as you could ask for in the circumstances.

“It was played in good spirits and, since I always try to take something positive from a game, I would say the match-time will prove to have been very important for our players.

“We played an in-house game the previous Tuesday night and trained for a while afterwards and then on Thursday we had an especially heavy training session. And I think that, if anything, that took its toll on the players because there were a few tired legs in the last 10 or 15 minutes and that is when Derry scored both goals.

“So, I hope that will actually stand to us this week because we won’t train quite so hard and we will not be short on energy or enthusiasm for this visit by The Welders. What do I expect? I expect to get three points.

“And that would put everybody in good form for the Night At The Races in the social club on Saturday evening - a fund-raiser for two injured players, Paul Maguire and Colin Paisley.

“We have no new injuries for the Welders game, but we do have a couple of players missing through suspension - Lee Thompson and Arthr Kopyt. Thankfully we have a big enough squad for that not to be a concern and I am confident we will field a team capable of ending our poor record against them.”

Report by Kevin Hughes