Scott Harvey insists there’s no chance of East Belfast giving up on the title as they look to hit back straight away at home to Islandmagee this weekend.
It was the Islanders who inflicted perhaps the East’s most damaging defeat of the season so far two weeks ago when they stunned Stephen Matthews’ men 2-0 at Wilbourne.
Coupled with Star’s 5-1 romp at Killyleagh on the same day, it allowed the defending champions to put some daylight between themselves and the rest of the division for the first time this season.
The East got back to winning ways on Saturday, however, with Danny Purkis - taking his tally to 13 in six since his return from Glenavon – Dean Annett and Daryl Evans on target in a 3-1 Intermediate Cup win at home to Maiden City.
Harvey was full of praise for the visitors and the way they play football, suggesting the result flattered his team somewhat.
But now focus turns to the resumption of their all-important Premier Division campaign, and the East coach knows nothing less than three points will do.
“To be fair to Islandmagee last week, the first 20 minutes, we should have been three up, but we didn’t take them, then they scored from a set piece and we were chasing the game,” explained Harvey.
“Second half we were poor, they brought it down to a battle and we didn’t deserve the three points, it is what it is, but it’s far from over.”
While there’s always precious little margin for error in the top flight, Harvey does not foresee any team getting a straight run at it this season.
Over the last decade, teams that have gone on to lift the title have typically lost one or two games at most, sometimes, none.
But Harvey reckons the topsy-turvy nature of this season’s results, allied to the uncertainty that Covid has introduced, means that it’s not your normal campaign.
“It’s not that we’re relying on teams doing us favours, we can only look after ourselves and win as many games as we can,” added the East coach.
“If it’s enough, it’s enough. It’s not like in previous years where you know you have to go unbeaten, I don’t foresee that happening, and fair play if any team does it.
“But there will be more twists and turns, and that’s including us, because you have to remember... There on Saturday we had four boys back from Covid and the last 20 they were struggling.
“Then you’ve got good strong teams there, even Crumlin (United) , they can take points off anybody. There was Drumaness went down the other week and beat Immaculata after Immaculata beat us, and we beat Drumaness the week before six.
“So on the day, people could be struggling, you don’t know what you’ve got and you’re not picking your team to Friday afternoon.
“It’s a wide open league this year, we’ll just keep going and see what happens.”
Harvey was delighted to see his team squeeze past a very good Maiden City, admitting the East have some unfinished business in the Intermediate Cup.
“They were a smashing side,” said Harvey. “We knew that anyway, we did a bit of digging on them and from taking the kids, I know the academy up there is fantastic.
“So we knew they were going to be a young, fit footballing side and 3-1 sort of flattered us if I’m honest.
“We scored two quick goals and were 3-0 up at the break, but I was really impressed with them, probably the best footballing side we’ve played in I don’t know how long.
“But the Intermediate Cup is a target, a few years ago we beat Dollingstown the year they won it, and there was a whole carry-on about an ineligible player, we thought he was ok to play but turned out he wasn’t.
“Long story short we beat Dollingstown 3-1 down there and they went on to win it, so from then, we always said we wanted to do well in it, so hopefully we can get a run in it.”
