Wakehurst boss delighted with signing of Muir

The former Ballymena United, Crusaders and Lisburn Distillery centre-back made his debut as Wakehurst opened their Belfast Telegraph Championship Two campaign with a scoreless draw against Annagh United on Saturday.

“I’m absolutely delighted to have signed Paul as I’ve been after a player of his quality and experience for some time,” Gregg told Times Sport.

“I was looking for someone with a solid background in the Irish League and he will still be a key player for us on the field as well as giving us a bit more nous.

“As well as that, he has given up money and dropped down a division to play for one of his hometown clubs, which I think says a lot both about Paul and his belief in our project.”

Gregg admitted he was frustrated not to have won Saturday’s opener.

“People talk about end-of-season games but this was a ‘start-of-season’ game.

“Given the possession we had, I thought we should have won the game but we lacked a wee bit of quality in the final third and we were a bit untidy in other areas,” added Gregg.

Wakehurst team v Annagh: Maybin, Stevenson, Gage, Dickey, Muir, Laughlin, Crawford, Lemon, Gregg(C), Paul, McCaughern. Subs: Cairns, Alexander, Culbertson, Ross, Young.

* In midweek, Arron Lemon’s extra-time goal gave Wakehurst a 1-0 win at Tobermore United in the League Cup, to set up a second round tie with Premiership new boys Ards.

* The following evening, a Wakehurst XI lost 3-2 to a touring university team - Taylor University, from Indiana.

* Wakehurst resume their CHampionship Two campaign on Saturday with a trip to Sport & Leisure Swifts.