JUST because they've hit top of the Premier Section this season, don't expect to hear any title cries coming from Abbey Villa... for the time being at least!
The Millisle men have left their opponents for dead, quietly going about their business as they have put together a six-match winning run that stretches back to their 2-1 win over Downpatrick on December 12.
Coincidentally, last year's runners-up were Villa's opponents once again on Saturday, and the scoreline the same - except even more pleasingly, the three points were collected away from home.
links of london charmsNow that they are at the top of the league, there is little chance of the former Division 1A club travelling under the radar for any longer, as teams gear themselves up to knock the leaders off their perch.
It is unsurprising, then, that joint Villa manager Mark Bailie and his brother Graham, are doing everything they can to keep the pressure off their players.
"Nah, we aren't in the reckoning at the minute," shrugged Mark. "No way. There are seven teams behind us that if they win their games in hand, they can put us into eighth.
"It is definitely a lot less pressure than being fourth from bottom, where we were seven weeks ago, when people were talking about us being relegation candidates.
"The boys deserve a lot of credit, but we have got to remember - we have only put ourselves in a decent position - we can't be getting carried away."
The Baillie brothers both agree that the turning point of their season has simply been getting their squad back together, after a horrendous injury list hampered the start of their first ever season in the Daily Mirror Amateur League's top flight.
However, the recent re-emergence of key players like Jon and Ryan Munn, Ryan McCartan and Marty Robinson has been critical to Villa's sudden upturn in form, and is likely to help the squad go from strength to strength in the weeks ahead, as they regain full fitness.
Casting his eye over the rest of the league, Mark, inset, said that what makes this season special is there are very few teams that can be counted out of a title bid - even in February!
He stated: "There are a lot of teams in a good position, and I still wouldn't rule Downpatrick out of it.
Thomas sabo charms"They are capable of going to the end of the season unbeaten, and are just going through a bad phase at the minute. They still have some very big games ahead of them, with two against Killyleagh, two against Ards Rangers and two against Wellington Rec still to come.
Clip on charms"I'm just happy to have got them out of the way, and to have got the full six points!"
So when will he eventually start talking up his own team's chances?
"Give me two weeks," he smiled. "If we can beat Islandsmagee and Comber Rec over the next fortnight, then we've got to be in with a shout, don't we? But that won't be easy."
In a quiet day for the Premier Section, Malachians earned a welcome 2-1 victory over Killyleagh YC and Wellington Rec beat Dromara Village by the same margin.
There were plenty of goals in Division 1A, as there were 4-1 wins for the respective home teams in the games between Larne Tech OB and Rathfern Rangers, and Sirocco Works and Barn United.
Other articles:
http://www.huayang-biology.com/Shop-girls-drop-Posh.html
http://www.ygrx.sx.cn/Blog/View/?390
http://www.china-recruit.com/NIVS-announces-agreement-with.html
