BALLYMENA United will be looking to keep their unbeaten run intact this weekend with a tricky trip to New Grosvenor Park, as they take on Lisburn Distillery in the Carnegie Premier League.

Despite a lifeless draw against Dungannon Swifts at the Showgrounds last Saturday, Tommy Wright's Ballymena side now remain unbeaten in four games – and will be looking to make it five in a row for the first time in nearly two years.

Opponents Distillery, will be looking to bounce back from their nightmare result against Armagh City in their last league fixture. They travelled to Armagh City and came out on the wrong side of a 4-1 humilation at the hands of Gary McKinstry's side. A sticky patch that has seen the Whites’ early season momentum escape them in recent weeks.

Tipped by many as this season's dark horses; they had a blistering start to the league season, winning four of their opening five games but in the last month have lost to the top three sides in Linfield, Glentoran and Cliftonville, before the defeat to Armagh – leaving them currently in sixth place, one place above the Braidmen with two points separating the teams.

So, this is a crunch match which will ultimately prove the credentials of this Ballymena United - but New Grosvenor Park hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the Sky Blues in the last number of years - as United only have won three times at Ballyskeagh in the last ten years!

The last of those 13 meetings in the last decade that ended in Ballymena victory was in November 2004, when two excellent long-range strikes from Dominic Melly and Garth Scates sealed a well-deserved 2-0 victory for Kenny Shiels' side in a league tie.

The other two wins came firstly in January 2003, when current Bangor manager, Paul Millar, headed home a late winner in a County Antrim Shield quarter-final which ended 2-1; the only other success in the last ten years was a Premier League game in November 1999 when a Glenn Hunter hat-trick sent Nigel Best’s side on their way to a thrilling 4-3 victory.

Last season, Paul Kirk's side notched up two deserved victories over his former side; firstly victory by a single goal at the Showgrounds at the same stage a year ago. The reverse fixture in Lisburn in March ended up 3-1 to Distillery , as Kevin Kelbie's goal wasn’t enough, as their own calamitous defending proved their undoing.

Tommy Wright's only victory over Lisburn Distillery came in November 2005, when a single Andrew Rosbotham goal gave the Sky Blues a home win; however, the Braidsiders have single gone five games without a win in this fixture.

Manager Wright, isn’t too worried about his side’s record in Lambeg going into the game; "They are usually tight, difficult games at Ballyskeagh but although we're aware of what other sides can do, if we can take what we do in training onto the pitch, along with an extra wee bit of confidence at the minute, then all we have to worry about is doing our own job."

The Sky Blues are still struggling with a number of players still unavailable, as Stuart King is still sidelined with medial ligament damage and Aidan Watson (shin) is also likely to join him in the stands. Dundalk defender, Simon Kelly also hasn’t recovered from a knee problem – but would miss the game through a one game accumulative suspension anyway.

Darren Fitzgerald is available again after suspension, and both Paul Brown and Mark Picking returned to training this week, however only the latter is expected to have a chance of making the squad – as after nearly 10 weeks out, Brown will be lacking in match fitness.

Lisburn Distillery striker, Darren Armour, often the vain of United supporters also finds himself suspended for the Whites after his sending off last weekend.

Key Player

Three years ago most United fans hadn't heard of Andrew Waterworth, despite him arguably nailing one of the first nails in Kenny Shiels’ coffin, in regards to his future as Ballymena United manager. Waterworth struck the winner as Kilmore Rec. dumped the Braidmen out of the County Antrim Shield in 2004/2005. Since then he has worked his way up the Irish League and finds himself now as one of the hottest prospects in Northern Ireland as he is currently banging the goals in both domestically and internationally, for the Northern Ireland Under-21 side. He will definitely need to be watched closely by the visiting defence, as he has eight goals already to his name in Distillery colours this season.

Ex-Players

Only one United player has plied his trade at New Grosvenor, as vice-captain Gary Haveron, who spent just over a season with the Whites after returning home from England. He enjoyed a very successful spell at Distillery and was even awarded the captaincy in 2003, he however left to join Coleraine the following year – before moving to Warden Street.

Distillery boast two former Ballymena players; firstly Ballymena born defender Paul Muir, who spent the early stages of his career at his hometown club before leaving for Crusaders in 1999. Fellow defender, Dean Youle spent two season at the Braid before leaving for Portadown last summer.