After breaking run of 14 consecutive league losses, Irish League captain hopes point can act as springboard for relegation great escape

​With a 15th league defeat on the trot seemingly moments away at Clandeboye Park, McDermott struck in injury time as Colin McIlwrath’s men ended a dismal run in which even their latest win – a penalty shootout County Antrim Shield success against Ballymacash Rangers – was overturned, something they are appealing.

Knockbreda are no strangers to a relegation battle having finished bottom last season only to be saved via a play-off victory over Ballymacash after Warrenpoint Town were demoted and also secured survival the same way in 2021/22.

Since the second-tier was changed to 12 teams in 2016/17, the lowest points total needed for a play-off spot has been 34 and McDermott is hopeful that this can be the start of their march towards safety with Dergview currently 12 ahead.

"Over the last four or five weeks we have been improving but not getting the results we maybe deserved,” he said. “The weekend before we were beaten in the 94th minute by a deflected free-kick, we were well in the Portadown game away before a sending off, so there have been a few performances over the past few weeks where we've been playing well but got nothing from.

"We're 12 points behind Dergview at the moment so if we can win two or three games in a row you're putting pressure on them.

"The aim is to get within touching distance of a couple of teams and then reassess in January and try to go again.

"Everyone has been feeling a lot more confident in the last few weeks because we have deserved more from the games.

"It would be easy to say Saturday was a turning point and hopefully it will be, but I think the confidence has been there for a number of weeks.

"Hopefully that point and the fashion of how we got it in the last minute, we can take the momentum forward and carry it on."

Knockbreda’s sole victory of the season within 90 minutes came against top-flight Ballymena United in the County Antrim Shield two months ago.

Having won the Championship title with Carrick Rangers, McDermott knows what it takes to succeed in the Championship and is hoping to use his previous experience at both ends of the table to help Breda turn their fortunes around.

"I've played in this league for a long time and the biggest thing is momentum,” he added. “I got promoted with Carrick Rangers and we just had that momentum going week to week and were picking up result after result.

"They say winning is a habit and losing is too.

"I've said to the players that I've been in a similar situation with PSNI in the Championship where we had a horrendous start to the season but ended up bringing it to the last day with a chance to stay up.

"We've had a bad start but things can turn around.

"You have to stick with it and get your head down to turn things around.”