Bangor star confident 'the tide will turn for us' after 'few harsh words'
Bangor star Reece Neale remains confident “the tide will turn for us” after starting the new Premiership season with three consecutive defeats – and hopes “a few harsh words to each other” will act as the spark for change.
The Clandeboye Park outfit won six of their opening 11 matches of last term in a dream return to Northern Ireland’s top-flight, but haven’t enjoyed the same success this time around.
Lee Feeney’s men began the campaign with a 3-0 home loss to Cliftonville before suffering the same fate against Dungannon Swifts and Carrick Rangers.
The Co Down club sit bottom at this very early stage and have conceded more goals (nine) than any other team.
Bangor are one of three sides yet to collect a point alongside Limavady United and Portadown, meaning there’s scope for quick progression up the Premiership table if Feeney’s side can string positive results together.
Saturday’s visit of Ballymena United provides Bangor with another opportunity to pick up a first home league win since beating Portadown 1-0 on January 17 – they’ve lost seven and drawn one of the last eight.
“I believe it will turn, the tide will turn for us, but it might take us a wee bit longer than we’ve anticipated,” Neale told the club’s website. “But we will turn it round, we’ll knuckle down as players.
"We spoke (after Carrick) and we’ve given a few harsh words to each other. Hopefully now, we’ll start kicking on here.”
Bangor got a midweek win on the board by beating H&W Welders 4-0 thanks to goals from Lewis Harrison, Lewis Francis, Jay Boyd and Lucas McRoberts – the Scottish striker netting his first goal since joining this summer.
Three of Bangor’s four summer signings – McRoberts, Jeremi Rodriguez and MacKenzie Strachan – are aged 22 or under while Feeney also lost Premiership experience following the departures of Mark Haughey, Kyle Owens, Robert Garrett and Michael Halliday.
Neale was the oldest starter in Tuesday’s victory in Belfast aged 28 and the defender feels it’ll take time for the squad to gel.
“You can talk all you want, but we’re quite a new-ish team, we’ve let quite a few experienced players go there in the summer,” added Neale. “I’m one of the most experienced now in the squad and it says a lot, I’ve only just turned 28.
“So it’s a bit we’re getting used to each other still, but ultimately I think in both boxes, it’s your own passion, aggressiveness and commitment to the cause is what it is.
“That’s what it is for me in this league – if you’re not ready to put your head on the line or your body on the line, you’ve no hope, absolutely no hope.
“We need to get back to our basics and doing that, defending as a unit and as a team, and we’ll be fine.”
Ballymena were the busiest Premiership club throughout the recent transfer window with 13 new players arriving and 20 departing in permanent deals.
"It has been a brilliant transfer window,” assistant manager Barry Johnston told the club’s media channel. “We have added a lot of quality, a lot of experience, players who know this league inside out, so it’s just a case of fine-tuning bits and getting the season up and running.”