"Our performances have been better than our points total," states Institute manager Brian Donaghey

​Donaghey’s side haven’t won in the league over their last eight games, but he feels they can get something from Lakeview Park if they change their approach slightly.

The Drumahoe club’s boss won’t be going with all out defence but admits a different game plan may be in place.

"As much as we'll respect them, we'll be going there to try and get something from the game," insisted Donaghey.

"On Saturday, away from home, we have to man up a bit but if we were offered a 0-0 now you would, of course, take it away at the league leaders.

"Our performances have been better than our points total but our away form is a bugbear to me. We spoke about it after training this week and to be fair, maybe something has to change away from home.

"We've looked at ways this week in training about how we might change that. I'm not saying we go totally defensive. When we've done that in the past, although getting so close, it hasn't really worked for us.

"We have to find solutions for the players and, as I said before, the buck will stop with me and I've no problem with that. Sometimes it takes a scrappy 1-0 win away from home just to kick-start the season.

"Should we be where we are in the league? No, I don't believe so and every week opposing managers are saying nice things about us, but instead of them previously not talking about us or worrying about us, they now know they're going to get a game against us every time we play.

"Instead of being the whipping boys, we're gaining a bit of respect and we've lost players to Premiership clubs because we're playing good stuff, so we're going in the right direction.

"I know where we can get to but it's a results driven business and I'm fully, fully aware of that, but if we start getting points on the board as soon as we can, it will put off that threat of maybe getting dragged toward relegation play-off place.

"We want to accumulate as many points as we can and hopefully we start on Saturday. There's a good freshness about our group and they're a good bunch of lads.”

A few weeks ago Donaghey watched the Villagers' victory over Ballyclare Comrades first hand as they came from behind to secure a narrow 2-1 win and he feels Dean Smith's side are starting to find a bit of form.

That win over Comrades was just their second in six matches but crucially it was their second victory on the bounce.

"Loughgall have come through a bit of a dodgy spell and they've won their last two games. I was at their game a few weeks ago. Ballyclare were probably the better side in the first half, Dean said that himself, but they got to grips with things in the second half and went onto win the game.

"They're starting to look a bit more proactive and starting to get a few players back from injury as well. They've Kirk McLaughlin in on-loan from Glentoran and he'll be looking to come in and hit the ground running."