Kevin Deery welcomes selection dilemma as Institute travel to Welders

​The on loan Glentoran striker came off the bench against Bangor at the weekend at Brandywell and claimed the matchball with a memorable 25 minute hat-trick in the 4-0 win which took Deery's troops into third in the Playrfit Championship table.

The free-scoring 'Stute outfit who have netted nine times in their last three league matches have been spreading out the goals but McLaughlin has certainly staked a claim for a starting berth against Welders.

"That's exactly what you want as a coach," said Deery. "We didn't play to our level in the first half against Bangor and then young Kirk came on at half-time and got a hat-trick within 25 minutes.

"So there's nothing more you can do as a centre forward than go on the pitch and score three goals in that timeframe. Of course Kirk has every right to start the game against Welders but he needs to play with the same personality and aggression he had when he came on last week.

"That's the goal for him now, to stamp his authority on the team."

Deery has been impressed with the application in training over recent weeks and with a third of the league games before the split gone, the Creggan man is delighted with the progress.

However, he's wary of the threat of Welders who will be eager to 'clip our wings' and get their own league campaign off and running after an indifferent start.

"We're in a really good place," said the 'Stute boss. "We've won seven out of 11 and drawn one and we have a game in hand so we're going in the right direction.

"You have to stay grounded and focused and realise someone is going to be ready to clip our wings.

"We don't want that to come any time soon so we have to go up there fully motivated and play the way we did in the second half against Bangor.

"If we do that then we'll cause Welders problems and hopefully we can shut them out like we did in the second half against Bangor.”

Welders will be smarting from their 2-1 loss at Brandywell earlier in the season and having fallen five points adrift of 'Stute they will view this as an opportunity to get back amongst the leading pack.

"Dundela have started like a house on fire," began Deery. "They're just a few wins behind them. It's really tight between Portadown, ourselves and downwards.

"We're under no illusions. It's early in the season. There's only a third gone until the split. Welders will be confident that if they can get a big win against us it could set the ball rolling and that will be their motivation this week.

"They're a few points behind us and a win really narrows the gap. So we have to be bang at it not to be the scalp for Welders to project themselves and get their league form up and running.

"We have to meet them head on and hopefully we can get out of there with the points.”