Bonar Bridge interim manager Tommy McClenaghan is far from downbeat despite the Migdale club suffering a torrid season in the North Caledonian League.
The gulf between top and bottom was never more so apparent than last week when red-hot title favourites Loch Ness were 12-1 winners against Bonar Bridge.
Bonar have slipped to 11 successive defeats and their only win this term came in a 4-2 win against Nairn County reserves last October.
Former player McClenaghan has stepped up from the assistant boss role following the departure of Fraser Heath from the hot-seat.
They are seven points behind Nairn with three games in hand and six fixtures to go overall.
On Saturday, they face ninth-placed Alness United, who are having a mixed season of their own in terms of results.
Due to the wintry weather, the game has been moved to the artificial surface of Dalmore Park in Alness.
⚫️Fixture Changes⚪️
We are now set to face Bonar Bridge at Dalmore Park in the @NorthCaleyFA league. Come along and support the boys https://t.co/gDtqnY4H2n— Alness United FC (@AlnessUnitedFC) March 10, 2023
Entire Bonar team changed this season
McClenaghan explained it has been such a transitional campaign, their mainly youthful squad were always going to find the going tough.
However, he’s urging his Bonar team to raise their standards for the run-in.
He said: “It’s a really competitive league this season, with really high standards of football. It’s been a case of us regrouping since the change and seeing out the remaining games. We’re hoping for a big improvement.
With @NorthCaleyFA fixtures dropping like flies. We would like to let you all know that our game is going ahead.
Some brilliant work from Shane to get the surface playable for tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/0RBi8lfOgS
— Loch Ness Football Club (@LochNessFC) March 10, 2023
“We’ve got a good group of players here and the whole team changed from last year. This is a fresh team playing together. It was never going to be easy and we knew that.
“The club went from having a team that had played together for years to having a fresh team. We had to establish a new group of players, which takes time. It’s not a quick process.
“It’s also a considerably young group compared to the other teams in the division. It was a young squad at the start of the season and we’ve continued with that throughout the season.”
Alness test one for Bonar to relish
McClenaghan, who played for Bonar when they were re-established in 2019, is keen to see his side rise to the challenge against Alness this week in a bid to break the losing cycle.
He added: “We’re looking forward to the Alness game, as we do ahead of every other game.
“Alness have had a mixed bag of results and we go into Saturday with as much confidence as possible.
“We’re obviously looking to pick up more points between now and the end of the season. We need to see an improvement in our level of performances.”
IT'S MATCHDAY. THIS AFTERNOON'S NORTH CALEDONIAN LEAGUE FIXTURES
Bonar Bridge v Loch Ness
Clach 'A' v Fort William (1.30)
Golspie v St.Duthus
Invergordon v Halkirk
Orkney v Nairn 'A (12.45)
Thurso v Inverness AthKick offs are 1 pm unless stated #NCFA #Northcaley pic.twitter.com/8CGogTzpSJ
— North Caledonian FA (@NorthCaleyFA) March 4, 2023
Can Golspie stun leaders Loch Ness?
At the top of the table, runaway leaders Loch Ness, with just four games to go, will move a massive step closer to winning their first NCL title if they beat Golspie Sutherland in Fortrose.
They are a whopping 14 points ahead of Invergordon, but have played four fixtures more than the defending champions, whose game at Orkney was postponed due to snow.
Elsewhere, it’s a city derby between Clachnacuddin reserves and Inverness Athletic.
The Halkirk United v St Duthus and Thurso v Nairn County reserves matches were also postponed due to a snowbound pitches.
Conversation