'Stute visit champions

The Waterside men started with a 3-0 defeat at promotion hopefuls Bangor in their opening league fixture of the season, before losing to fellow title contenders Carrick Rangers, on Tuesday night and now visit the champions this weekend.

To make matters worse the Drumahoe club will be without Vinny Sweeney and Ryan Semple through suspension, while Ruairi McClean, Eddie McIntyre and Graham Taylor are also missing Saturday's encounter.

"We are definitely facing the three big sides in our league at the start of the season and the only thing which hasn't surprised me is that we haven't faced Limavady United too," he joked.

"I feel that Bangor, Carrick, Loughgall and Limavady are the big four teams.

"Loughgall are going to be there or thereabouts, they have won the league a couple of times and I feel unjust for them that they haven't been able to go up, but they are going to be the team that everyone will want to beat.

"They have a lot of experience and I'm expecting a massive, massive challenge, but I expect as well that we go up there positive and go up there knowing that we have players in the squad that are capable of getting a result."

Since their defeat at Clandeboye Park, Gregg believes other clubs don't give the 'Stute much hope in this campaign.

"Obviously because of the game at Bangor, people don't see us as a threat this year, I have seen it quoted in the papers saying that we are too young and we have too small a squad to challenge," he added.

"But what we have to do is stay together and concentrate on what we have got and use those negative remarks in our favour.

"We are going to a very tough place for anyone to get a result but we have signed a couple of players like Vinny and David King who should bolster our squad."

The Coleraine man is also hoping that this weekend he can get close to what he believes will be his strongest starting eleven.

"Counting pre-season I have played close to what I think will be my first team in one game this season, that was at Dundela and that was without Vinny Sweeney and that's because of different reasons.

"With David Ogilby going that means we have a big hole to fill at the back, but with all being well we should have our first team in place for the Loughgall game, but the way our luck has been going, one of my players will be run down by a train.

"Ryan Semple has over 300 games in the Irish League and along with David King has signed for us and they have come in for next to nothing so I appreciate the lads for doing that.

"I'm happy with the front line, I'm getting happier with our midfield, I just need a back-four, not in the treatment room or not waiting to be registered, I need a back-four out on a football pitch, where games are won."