Dean Smith: Loughgall have to start turning positive Premiership performances into points

The Villagers are still very much in the hunt for a top-half finish and European football in their first campaign back in the top-flight, sitting only three points behind sixth-placed Coleraine ahead of today’s crucial home clash with Carrick Rangers, who are currently one position higher than Smith’s men.

Loughgall have performed admirably against Linfield, Larne and Crusaders in recent weeks while also drawing with bottom side Newry City, and Smith is no longer settling for just a strong showing.

"There are too many times where we are coming in this year and saying we’ve played really well but got nothing out of it and that has to change,” he said. “We’re past the stage of just accepting good performances – we have to get points from our good performances.

"When you go up a level things change in terms of quality, but for us we’ve shown throughout the first three-quarters of the season that we’re more than good enough and we have to get end product now.

"I’ve stood in there and said it shows how far we’ve come that we’re frustrated not to win a game against Crusaders. If somebody had told you that 12 months ago would you have taken it? Without a doubt, but it’s human nature that we want more and to push for things.

"For us it was about staying in the league and we haven’t done that yet mathematically, but the position we’re in I think it’s human nature that you look up instead of down and we’re no different.

"We have to get back on track and get points on the board. As I’ve said too many times this year we’ve played really well and got nothing – we’ve probably said that six or seven times. When we’re on top we have to score a goal, take the lead and at the minute we’re far too easy to play against.”

Meanwhile, Carrick have lost just one of their last four league matches – a last-gasp defeat to Cliftonville in January – and are coming off a 2-1 victory against Dungannon Swifts.