Skipper calls for fans’ backing in Shield clash

The Sky Blues take on Linfield for the second time in four days at the Showgrounds on Wednesday night, with a place in the semi-final of the County Antrim Shield at stake.

Scotsman Jenkins believes that United’s improved performance against the Blues in Saturday’s 2-1 league defeat can give them the impetus to topple the champions in United’s first knockout game of the season.

Manager Walker has already identified winning United’s first major silverware for 22 years as his top priority this season and Jenkins insists United’s players will do all in their power to ensure that the first competition of the season doesn’t end at the first hurdle.

“Saturday’s performance gave the supporters, the players and everyone connected with the club a bit more belief,” Jenkins told Times Sport.

“Tuesday night’s defeat by Carrick was hugely disappointing in every aspect – just not good enough at all. Rightly we got a bit of a doing on the forums after Tuesday night’s game and that’s understandable.

“I think we proved on Saturday that we’re not as bad as the Carrick performance suggested, that it was just a flash in the pan.

“I think we more than held our own against the best that the league has to offer so there’s cause for optimism.

“The league is the most important thing but now we have an opportunity to get into the semi-final and to go on and win a trophy that everybody is crying out for.

“It’s another huge game but if we approach it in the same manner as we did on Saturday then we can give it a good go.

“We’re only six games into the season – if we’re still sitting whee we are 26 games into the season I’ll be surprised.

“If we play the way we did against Linfield, we’ll win more games than we lose.

“We do look a threat going forward but we need to shut the back door, get a clean sheet and a platform to build on,” added Jenkins.

Meanwhile, boss Walker is looking forward to the additional seelction headache caused by the imminent return of a number of players to his squad.

“There was more to be positive about from certain players on Saturday but I felt we carried four outfield players.

“I was more encouraged after a joke performance against Carrick on Tuesday night. We were outfought – it was down to primadonna attitudes of ‘don’t have to work, it’ll just happen’.

“We have Ally Teggart and Davy Munster available for Wednesday night and Conor Downey, Jordan Baker and Aaron Boyd won’t be missing for long, so there are things we can change.”

Walker also dismisses the notion that playing back-to-back games against the same opposition is difficult, adding: “It’s an attitude of mind. I wouldn’t care if we played them every week.”

United return to league action this Saturday with a trip to Cliftonville (3pm).

Seven Towers Supporters’ Club transport for that game leaves Henry Street car park at 2pm, while club members are asked to attend a meeting in the Moat Bar at 1.30pm when the club’s Joker promotion will be drawn.