Dungannon Swifts manager Rodney McAree believes new signing Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe “can come in and help us” after his side fell to their fifth consecutive Premiership loss in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat against Bangor.

It’ll mark the second time McAree has worked with the former Colchester United striker, who he brought to Glentoran in January 2023.

The 31-year-old scored 15 goals across 54 Premiership appearances for the Glens, including 11 throughout the 2023/24 campaign, before departing the East Belfast club.

Ogedi-Uzokwe has enjoyed a well-travelled career, spending time in England, Cyprus, Republic of Ireland, Israel, Northern Ireland and joins Dungannon following a short stint at Karşıyaka Anamur.

placeholder image — Dungannon Swifts manager Rodney McAree. (Photo by Sarah Harkness/Pacemaker Press)

Dungannon scored only their second goal of the league campaign at Clandeboye Park on Saturday and remain bottom of the table, but McAree believes his new striker can make an impact.

He will hope to fill the void left by John McGovern, who scored 13 Premiership goals last term before joining Shamrock Rovers.

"We’ve signed Junior, who is one I believe can come in and help us,” McAree said on the club’s media channel. “He’s a good centre-forward who enjoys being in the 18-yard box and he’s someone I enjoyed working with before.

"We’ll see if anything (transfers) materialises over the next couple of days. We’re not going to be running around after it.”

Dungannon enjoyed a historic season last term, recording the club’s joint-best Premiership finish of fourth before winning a maiden Irish Cup.

They’re one of two teams, alongside Glenavon, who they face next weekend, yet to collect a league point and McAree says they have to believe in the methods that helped them achieve their success.

"To be honest, I feel we’re lacking a little bit of confidence and belief,” he added. “Our second half performance was better than our first – we played with the wind in the first half and it was too much kick and run after it.

"Second half we used the ball better, played a bit more like ourselves and to turn it around we have to believe in what we did last season, believe in what we’re trying to do this season, which is the exact same thing.

"There will be little tweaks along the way with new faces and maybe some moving on, we just have to believe in the process and get ourselves going.”

After Ben Arthurs and Mark Haughey had put Bangor ahead following Andrew Mitchell’s opener, Dungannon thought they had an equaliser when Kealan Dillon’s corner sailed directly in, but referee Ben McMaster ruled it out for a foul on goalkeeper Gareth Deane.

"I seen an absolutely wonderful ball being put into the box by Kealan Dillon and it was going into the far corner of the net,” McAree reflected on the incident. “I could see Gareth Deane backtracking trying to keep it out and he falls into the corner the ball goes in to.

"Unfortunately the referee has judged that there has been an infringement and that has went against us.

"It’s not an easy job, the referee’s have to make up their minds and decisions, but on this occasion it has definitely went against us.”