McKeever happy with progress

The midfielder knows he and his team-mates will continue to fight all the way, even though they fell into fifth spot in the table with Loughgall leap frogging them, while leaders Ballinamallard United moved 12 points clear of ’Stute.

“We are still in the mix in regards trying to get promotion,” insisted McKeever.

“We are taking each game as it comes, we aren’t planning too far ahead, obviously in training we are working on things for whatever team we are playing on that Saturday.

“We are all working hard both at training and in matches trying to get the points.”

The 25-year-old also believes Whitey Anderson’s run away leaders may still slip up and if they do then the Drumahoe club needs to be ready to capitalize.

“Ballinamallard are looking strong favourites but it’s not over until it’s over and the boys just have to keep believing and push on for firstly trying to get second spot.

“Maybe Ballinamallard will hit a bit of a glitch and drop a few points and I do believe in this league there are teams all over who can take points off any side and because of that I do feel that Ballinamallard will have a wee dip and if they do then we have to be in a position to take advantage.”

Although ’Stute continue to struggle to create opportunities, McKeever does believe they have improved as a team as the season has progressed.

“Unfortunately in the last third we just need to be more clinical and choose the right pass whenever we are in that final third of the pitch,” he added.

“If you looked at us now compared to the way we played against Newry at the start of the season, we have come on leaps and bounds.

“The team as a unit even in the changing room, we are all pulling together and I do feel we are going in the right direction, in regards getting points and I feel we were a bit unfortunate that we didn’t get the win on Saturday.”

The ex-Limavady United man scored ’Stute’s equaliser at the weekend and in doing so netted his first goal of the season.

“The ball just came to me and it opened up and the first thing I saw was the net, so I thought why not have a go, I hit it straight and lucky enough for me it went in.

“The second half against Newry, we went out and battled and we were always expecting a tough game against them but we dug in deep.”