'I'd love to falter like Larne' - Dean Smith makes champions contrast after Loughgall's challenging start
Rightly or wrongly a football team's current form always seems to be judged by what they have achieved in the past.
Larne are a case in point this season. Even though the Invermen created history by becoming the first Irish League team to qualify for the group stages of a major European tournament they have come in for criticism in some circles for their pedestrian start to their league title defence.
Eights points from a possible 15 is by no means a bad start. Loughgall boss Dean Smith would certainly swap places with the team who sit one place above them in the Irish Premiership table at present.
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The Villagers have had a tough start to their second season back in the top flight with only one win to date. Saturday's defeat at Coleraine was their third on the bounce and he had a wry smile when asked about Larne's start to the campaign.
"I'd love to falter like Larne," Smith said ahead of his side's trip to Inver Park on Tuesday evening. "We know Larne are a quality outfit. You don't reach the latter stages of European competition and just be average
We know they're a fantastic team and we know we're gonna have to go there and give absolutely everything and hope Larne have a really off night. We understand that, we've got to be realistic, but, again, that's why everybody loves football because it can happen."
They may not be getting the results at present but Smith is delighted with his side's performance levels. They pushed Coleraine all the way on Saturday and on another day could have come away with something to show for their efforts.
"It can be frustrating, playing well but not getting results," admitted Smith. "The players are very frustrated but from my point of view I would understand it if we were coming and getting beat and we were getting outplayed and outbattled but we certainly weren't on Saturday.
"If you were a neutral at the game you would be hard to tell which team was full-time. So, from that point of view, we're frustrated with results but certainly not performances. The effort of the players has been absolutely outstanding."
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