AFTER last Saturday's win against Portadown, Ballymena United will be looking to kick start their season with a visit to Armagh City this weekend.

The relief was almost tangible at the Ballymena Showgrounds last Saturday evening, as the Sky Blues claimed only their second league victory of the campaign with that 2-1 win over Portadown.

Manager Tommy Wright, who celebrates his 100th game in charge at Ballymena this Saturday, knows that defeat to Armagh City will undo the good work done last weekend - as the Braidmen halted a losing run that had stretched to six games.

The Holm Park side also ended an unenviable run last week, winning their first game in eight against Limavady United at home. The Orchard County side had lost four of their opening five games, although had a number of the top teams as their opposition.

That result lifted them off the bottom of the Carnegie Irish Premier League table, and into 14th place. Tommy Wright’s Ballymena United side also moved up to 11th after their win against Portadown.

Ballymena United have a good record against Gary McKinstry's Armagh City side, as the latter have only won one of the twelve league meetings between the two sides; that was back in January 2003.

The last meeting between the two sides was on St. Patrick's Day this year, when the Braidmen ran out comfortable winners in the reverse fixture last term, winning 3-0 thanks to goals from Stuart King, Albert Watson and Garth Scates. The home fixture last term seen the sides play out a uninspiring 2-2 draw; Mark Picking scored both of Ballymena’s goals.

United are boosted by the return of Aidan Watson from suspension and Aaron Callaghan from injury, the latter made his comeback for the Reserves last Saturday.

However, Johnny Flynn and David Cushley will both miss the trip to Armagh, as they are in the Northern Ireland Under-19 squad who are currently in Cyprus. Nigel Boyd and Stuart King are both rated doubtful for the trip to Holm Park as well.

Key Player

United fans will have to watch last week's match winner, Conor Forker. He scored a hat-trick against the Skies for Glenavon in the Irish Cup a few years back, but despite not filling most of his potiential he can pop up with vital goals.

Ex-Players

There may be no players at the Braid with connections to Armagh City, however two Holm Park regulars played their trade at the Showgrounds. Goalkeeper Stuart Addis had two spells at the Braid, the first on loan from Glenavon in 2002 for four months and the second was a year and a half spell up until July 2007, until he signed for Armagh. His second spell was primarily as a second string goalkeeper and only produced 4 appearances in two seasons.

The only other player is former Loughgall and Glenavon midfielder, Keith Percy, who had a spell with United in the 1998/99 season under Alan Fraser – however he spent the last number of years at Lakeview Park before walking out to join rivals City, after the sacking of Jim Gardiner.

Matchday News

Seven Towers' Supporters Club will be running a bus from Henry Street Car Park leaving at 1.15pm. All non-members welcome.