Institute vs Dergview: Stute to 'Derg' deep

For Institute, the time for talking has ended, and the time for action has arrived. Having worked so hard for so long to make it into the right half of the mid-season split, Kevin Deery’ team now have to find something which that has eluded them this season – consistency. Last week’s victory over Knockbreda was ‘Stute’s first win in five games in 2017, and with seven draws and five defeats hampering the Riverside team’s chances for the Championship title, the need to pick up positive results more consistently is apparent. This weekend, the second half of the season kicks off against Dergview, and with Warrenpoint up next week, the need for a good start is the number one goal for Deery and his players. “It’s an opportunity for us now to go and put a run of games together,” the manager said. “The good thing for me now, is that I don’t need to be going about motivating people. We’re going to be playing the top six every week. I feel we are capable of beating anyone on our day so let’s embrace it; let’s bring it on. Let’s enjoy it and try and go on a run of wins.” ‘Stute have always found it tough against Dergview, with the last four meetings between the two ending in draws. The last meeting between the sides was particularly eventful, with both teams having a man sent off before a frantic finale saw ‘Stute salvage a point with a last gasp equaliser. “They are always very eventful games,” Deery agreed. “That last game we definitely felt as if we should have won, even though we went a goal down and showed great character. But there’s a rivalry there and we have to be ready for the challenge that they are going to present to us but we are looking forward to it. Those previous games are games we should have won, but it’s something we have to prove to ourselves that we can beat them and they’ll be the same because they haven’t beaten us, so I think it will be a really good game and it hasn’t disappointed yet in the four previous games.” ’Stute have injury concerns over Sammy Morrow and recent signing Kyle Friel-Curran, while Gareth Brown misses out through suspension. “Kyle had a sore back, so that’s why he missed the Knockbreda game, so we’ll see how he gets on this week at training,” added Deery. “Gareth misses out through suspensions because of bookings and Sammy has a wee bit of a chest infection at the minute, so we are a wee bit bleak looking at the minute, but there’s a lot of time until Saturday and we are hopeful that Sammy and Kyle will be pushing on this week and probably declaring themselves fit for the game.”