Loughgall reaping rewards for showing faith in title-winning side as Villagers make successful Premiership return

Loughgall reaping rewards for showing faith in title-winning side as Villagers make successful Premiership return

The Villagers made an outstanding start with Caolan Loughran scoring two goals and Nathaniel Ferris securing a penalty, giving the visitors a three-point lead within the first 26 minutes at the Showgrounds.

Ten of the players chosen by Smith for the starting lineup – who stood in for his brother Dean due to personal circumstances – were part of Loughgall’s Championship title victory last season. That year, they held a record of 19 clean sheets, lost only seven out of 38 matches, and scored 76 goals.

That same defensive prowess was evident in their first Premiership game since 2007. Smith asserts that the coaching team has complete faith in the squad they have brought together at Lakeview Park.

“Frankly, I think we’ve picked up where we left off last year,” he noted. “We’ve brought in three or four new members to the squad who have seamlessly adapted to our style of play.

We have faith in our players. We aim to adhere to a specific style of play, one that involves being confident with the ball. The players who have been with us for two to three years helped us transition from the Championship to the Premiership.

“We rewarded those who have stuck with us, and we have absolute confidence in them. Adding a few new faces to the squad has been beneficial because we brought in individuals with the right attitude.

“We devote a lot of effort in training to patterns and our preferred style of play, which was clearly visible in the first half.

“I believe we played comfortably in the first half and circulated the ball effectively. We dominated the game from the beginning to the end of the first half by playing in the right areas and maintaining possession of the ball.

“We knew the second half would be a different ball game as Newry was expected to come at us. A 3-0 lead can sometimes lead to complacency, affecting mindset.

“We are thrilled to start the Premiership with three points, but I am even more delighted with the performance.”

Ferris, who scored a goal, was exceptional in the first half, but was fortunate to remain on the pitch after committing a foul while already on a yellow. He was substituted by Benji Magee at halftime, as Smith noted they couldn’t risk going down to 10 men with a near-secured three points.

Loughgall reaping rewards for showing faith in title-winning side as Villagers make successful Premiership return

“He was rather lucky to escape the second,” he acknowledged. “We couldn’t afford to take the risk.

“Three points won’t always be a guarantee each week – we’ll have to fight tooth and nail for them.

“We couldn’t risk going down to 10 men. Playing 11 v 11 is challenging enough, let alone with a man short.

“Nathaniel was exceptional in the first half and a real force to be reckoned with.

“It was a disappointment to have to substitute him, but he fully understood our position and the need to avoid walking a tightrope.”

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