Malone coach Josh Pentland looking to follow up All-Ireland League victory with another in Ulster derby against Ballymena

The hosts go into the Ulster derby two points behind the Braidmen after last week’s bonus point win away at Banbridge.

Malone coach Josh Pentland was delighted with the win at Rifle Park, but knows it will count for nothing if his side don’t back it up at home.

“It was quite nice to wake up on Sunday with a win – it had been a while coming,” he said. “It would be nice to go into Christmas with a win and then we have the derbies again after Christmas which are two more big games, so we’ll just keep going and focus on doing the job this Saturday.

“The conditions at Bann played a big factor. We were 12-10 up at half-time and we got two quick scores. I think that shocked Banbridge a bit and then they had to chase it and we just defended very well.

“It was tough going to get that win and we have another tough one this week with Ballymena coming to Malone. We just have to try and back it up and hopefully go again.

“A lot of the new players we signed like Matthew Crowther and Nathan Burns are just returning and it is great to see them back. We just haven’t got over the line a few times and some things haven’t gone our way, but you just have to keep going.

“We can’t make too many excuses, we just have to knuckle down and keep going. We did that on Saturday and we just have to try and do it again this week.”

The loser will prop up the table going into the break and Pentland knows Ballymena will be fired up.

"Ballymena are a good side and they had a very good win against Barnhall last week,” he added. “They are well coached and it will be tight again. Derbies are always great and I’m expecting a good game at Gibson Park and hopefully we can do the job.”

Elsewhere, Banbridge travel to Greystones while all four Ulster clubs meet in Division 2B with leaders Instonians hosting Belfast Harlequins and Dungannon travel to Rainey.