Kevin Deery's Institute have sights set high ahead of Ards trip

​It's quite the incentive for Deery's young side who reached their first North West Senior Cup Final since 2018 on Tuesday night after a 6-2 demolition of local club Maiden City Academy at Brandywell.

It's the first Friday night game of the campaign and with the league's top four teams all playing each other with leaders Dundela hosting fourth placed H&W Welders on Friday and second placed Portadown entertaining third placed Newington Youth on Sunday, it's an opportunity to make headway in the table.

'Stute will feel they should already be sitting in second spot after their clash with Annagh was called off when Deery's men were leading 1-0 with over an hour played before Ryan Moffatt sustained a serious knee injury.

That game will be replayed on December 5th and the 'Stute boss will be hoping his team are still very much in the mix at the top when that game in hand comes around.

"If that result had stood we would probably be going into this game looking to go top of the league but it was abandoned in the 65th minute.

"We realise how tight it is in the table but we're in a good run of form. Obviously we lost at home to Dundela after the Annagh game, psychologically with a young squad they felt it because they're looking at the league table thinking they should be second but they're in sixth," he lamented.

'Stute have already played at Clandeboye Park this season when drawing with Bangor 1-1 back at the start of last month. Deery praised his players' commitment for making themselves available to travel in good time for the game against Ards and he's looking forward to playing under the Friday night lights.

"This is our first Friday night away from home and it will be under the lights. Saturdays at 3pm have a different feel so it should be good. We will get up the road and prepare properly. Boys will be taking hours off work which is a brilliant commitment but it's something we have to do if we want to be successful.

"So to play under the lights at Bangor's ground is something to look forward to. We've played there already this year when we conceded in the 97th minute when we thoroughly deserved victory.

"So we're used to the surroundings, we played well there last time and hopefully we can get the three points this time."

Deery watched Ards lose out to Glentoran midweek in the Co. Antrim Shield and he's expecting a tough test.

"Ards gave a really good account of themselves during the week against a very strong Glentoran team. They lost the game 2-0 but conceded the second goal very late on so it was a tight game. They were well in the game and had chances themselves. So we're under no illusions.

"Most teams playing each other in this league believe they can turn each other over so we just have to be fully on guard and impose our own game on them and hopefully it's good enough. "We've prepared really well, we've had a good victory on Tuesday and will get up there nice and early and prepare for Friday.”