WALKER TARGETS TWO VICTORIES

BALLYMENA United boss Roy Walker has set his players a target of picking up maximum points from their next two Carling Premiership games.

United travel to Carrick Rangers this Saturday before taking on Lisburn Distillery – two of the sides below the Sky Blues in the league table – and Walker insists his players have to think positively.

“We’re targeting six points from our next two games – fact,” said Walker.

“Let’s put the focus on that. That’s what we’re going to work hard to achieve.”

The first of those games sees United return to Seaview for the second successive Saturday, this time to take on Carrick Rangers, who are ground-sharing at the north Belfast venue while their new pitch is laid at Taylor’s Avenue.

“We’re going back up to Seaview to do nothing other than win the game,” said Walker, who will run the rule over a number of injury worries this week after the weekend defeat by Crusaders.

“Richard Vauls was limping badly at the end, Aaron Boyd had to come off with a hamstring strain. I would have liked to have kept him on the whole game.

“Jordan Baker has swelling on the outside of the ankle after he got injured early on in the cup win at Bangor and Liam Watson is maybe another week away with a hamstrng strain.

“We carried a few at the weekend who weren’t 100 per cent fit but played, while others couldn’t play.

“We have four pluses that may or may not make it and if they do, it will freshen the squad up again.

“Quite a few players will play 90 minutes for the Reserves at Portadown on Wednesday and we’ll see what happens after that.,” added Roy, who also believes winger Eamonn Murray will play an increasingly prominent role after his recent difficulties in combining training with his new employment.

“I’ve had a word with Eamonn this week and he’s determined to make a go of it.

“He is determiend to train harder and better and he remains a potential matchwinner.

“We’re doing well at one end of the pitch but we need to fix what’s going on at the other end – if we did that we’d be leading this league!” added Roy.

Seven Towers Supporters Club transport for Saturday’s game at Seaview leaves Henry Street car park at 2pm.

Meanwhile, Walker insists United have great opportunity to reach the semi-finals of the Irn Bru League Cup after being drawn away to Dergview in the quarter-finals.

Goals from Aaron Stewart and Aaron Boyd gave United a 2-0 win at Bangor and in the draw the next day, United were paired with intermediate opposition for the third round in succession w,ith a trip to Castlederg on November 16.

“I would never be disparaging of any opposition but if someone had asked you which team left in the competition would you pick, who would you have said?

“It will be a hard game and mentally we will have to be tuned in, going to an unfamiliar ground but there’s a long time to go until that game and we have important league business first,” added Roy.

Paramount Supporters’ Club holds its monthly table quiz in the Bowling Club this Friday evening, October 21, at 8.30pm. Regular attenders are asked to note the change from the usual last-Friday-in-the-month slot.

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