LEE Feeney is “hurting” and “can’t wait” for Bangor’s Playr-Fit Championship clash with Annagh United at Clandeboye Park under the Friday night lights (7.45pm).
The Seasiders boss was an angry man after watching his side go down 4-0 to Ballinamallard United at Ferney Park at the weekend, losing top spot in the table in the process.
Former Linfield and Rangers star Feeney – whose side had strung together five straight league wins – said: “I’ll be honest, I enjoyed it in a way, I enjoyed the hurt and the pain of it, and when it’s like that, I’d rather we lose 4-0 than 1-0 because I know that’ll hit home and we’ll get a response from the players.
“We spoke with the players in the dressing room afterwards, and we know that standard of performance isn’t acceptable and that it’ll never happen again.
“I remember around this time last year, we lost heavily up at Institute and we were poor on the day and we told the players afterwards that they had to go out and respond, and off the back of that, we went on a long unbeaten run and we became a better team.
“It’s the same situation here, it’s up to us to provide a response and I know we’ll become a better team because of it.
“It’s a shock to the system after the good run that we had.
“As I said, I enjoyed the hurt, and it’ll get at me and I’ll enjoy it until we play again on Friday night – I can’t wait, I’m really looking forward to it now.
“And I’ll enjoy it because we’ll be a different animal now, we’re wounded at the moment but people know the quality and personalities that we have in that dressing room.
“As a coaching staff, we’re not concerned because it is a one-off, we’d been on a run when it was clicking and we were playing really well, so now we have to move on from it and refocus ourselves for Friday night.
“We have to use a performance like that as fuel going forward, we have to be fired up to put things right and I’m fully confident we will.”
Bangor are second on goal difference to the Welders who host Ballyclare Comrades on Saturday (all matches 3pm).
Newry City – relegated from the Sports Direct Premiership at the end of last season – take on Newington at the Showgrounds, Institute face Ballinamallard at the Brandywell, Dundela tackle Ards at Wilgar Park while promoted sides Armagh City and Limavady United clash at Holm Park.