Having now played against Premiership opposition in Crusaders, Coleraine, Glentoran and Portadown throughout pre-season to date, H&W Welders manager Paul Kee hopes significant tests will stand his players in good stead heading into the new Championship campaign.

The Welders kicked off with a 1-1 draw against the Crues, who were preparing for Europe, before losing out 2-0 to both the Bannsiders and Glens, while Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to the newly-promoted Ports provided another challenge prior to August’s league opener away to Bangor.

Further matches against top-flight opposition are still to come before their Clandeboye Park trip – Kee’s side will face Loughgall, Glenavon and Linfield over the coming weeks – and the Welders chief has been impressed by the performances produced by his team throughout a testing schedule.

"Playing Premiership opposition is always going to be difficult, particularly Portadown who have strengthened significantly and brought in good Premiership players - Shay McCartan being one who was involved in the first goal,” he told the club’s media channel. “We want tests like that and with us down on numbers, I thought the players acquitted themselves well.

placeholder image — H&W Welders manager Paul Kee. PIC: Sarah Harkness/Pacemaker Press

"We've played Crusaders, who were in Europe, Coleraine have just turned full-time and Glentoran are full-time, so they are always going to be difficult games but you want to take them to test your players.

"There are no guarantees of getting results and the players know that, but the most important thing is the performance and in the main against good players who are slightly ahead of us, the performances have been really good.

"We were down to the bare bones today but we've Brandon Doyle coming back from holiday and Craig Harris too...the team will start taking shape in the next fortnight for August 10th."

Welders have also announced the signing of 21-year-old striker Lewis Mearns, who scored 34 goals in all competitions for Ballymena Saturday Morning League side Harryville Homers last season.

Mearns has spent time on trail at Coagh United and former club Ballymena United during pre-season before joining the Belfast outfit.

“Lewis recently played around 20 minutes in our friendly with Glentoran and has opted for Blanchflower Park despite strong interest from at least one other Premiership club,” the club posted on their website. “Whilst under the triallist microscope in recent weeks, he's bagged five goals for Harryville v Moyola Park, scored for Coagh United against Ballymoney, and has scored in two successive games for Ballymena United.

"Welders management are delighted to get a player in with a keen eye for goal and an undoubted hunger to progress.”