Ards: Colin Nixon searching for end product as Warrenpoint Town aim to keep on climbing

The Danske Bank Premiership’s bottom club now stand five league fixtures since victory, with injury issues increasing the tale of woe.

“The endeavour is there but we should have had far more goals and, unfortunately, we’ve started to slip back into conceding bad goals,” said Nixon in the aftermath of Saturday’s defeat by Glenavon. “The attitude and togetherness are there but goals win you games and we do not seem to be able to score them at the minute.

“Until we find that bit of quality we’ve to accept we’re in a dog fight.

“We are working hard behind the scenes for January and aiming to do some wheeling and dealing to get us away from the foot of the table.

“If we keep doing the things we are doing, the boys keep on working as hard as they can and we can lift the quality then we’ll move up the table.

“I’m hard on the players as I’m sick saying effort alone will not win you games, it’s quality.

“It’s not about the opposition for us, every game is massive, we need to try and win every week no matter who we are playing.”

Ards take on a Warrenpoint Town side on the rise following six successive Premiership defeats to kick off a first full campaign in management by Stephen McDonnell but recent four-game unbeaten sequence.

“If things hadn’t improved I wouldn’t be in a job,” said McDonnell. “The players we signed are quality and they’re really stepping up, I’m really happy with how far we’ve come.

“It’s a massive game, the main thing is not to get beat.

“It’s a tough place to go, but the onus is on them as they are bottom and they have to start to claw points back.

“We understand that and we will be going there giving Ards our full respect.

“I’m sure people will fancy us to go there and get a result off the back of what we’ve done in recent weeks, but it will be nip and tuck.”