Crusaders supervisor Stephen Baxter insists there is just one man who can lead Ballymena United away from the relegation mire — and that’s David Jeffrey!
The Sky Blues plunged to their fifth defeat of the Danske Financial institution Premiership marketing campaign in opposition to the Crues at Seaview on Friday night time and discover themselves merely one level forward of eleventh positioned Dungannon Swifts in he basement zone.
Philip Lowry’s fifth League aim in as many video games set the hosts on their means earlier than efforts from defender Jarlath O’Rourke and the industrious Jordan Forsythe ensured Baxter’s boys would go stage on factors with Glentoran on the prime of the desk.
In addition they helped pile on the agony for Jeffrey, who provided to stroll away from the job after final week’s defeat by Carrick Rangers.
Baxter, nevertheless, insists Jeffrey continues to be the perfect supervisor within the nation.
“It’s a really aggressive enterprise we're all in and expectation ranges are all the time excessive from followers,” mentioned Baxter.
“It doesn’t come all that simple at instances with accidents and issues off that pitch that you simply don’t realise or see.
“Then you definately get a few unhealthy defeats. He’s misplaced 4 or 5 video games of soccer — so what! There isn't a higher supervisor within the nation — no higher supervisor.
“I've seen David Jeffrey work, I've been his good friend for a very long time, I've performed with him. He gained trophies galore at Linfield, there may be no person higher at this enterprise than David Jeffrey — he's streets forward of everybody on this League as a supervisor.
“He’s gone to Ballymena United and lifted them from the underside six and put them into the highest six. He has taken them to a League Cup Closing, which I watched when Conor McCloskey scored the winner.
“I keep in mind him (Jeffrey) taking the trophy to the Ballymena followers when it was a full home. David has taken Ballymena to 2 Irish Cup finals and into Europe — he has rallied the staff tremendously properly over various years.
“If Ballymena suppose that it’s a doomsday situation, they've one other factor coming.”
It was a glowing reference from Baxter (proper), whose staff had simply turned in one other efficiency of slick precision and sheer dogged willpower, with no scarcity of ability.
“We scored three targets and missed seven sitters, that was the extent of our efficiency,” he added.
“I had a go on the boys afterwards as a result of we might have these targets in a while – that’s the perfectionist in me.
“Paul Heatley hits the publish with one when you could possibly shut your eyes to attain. We had been of their field again and again and that’s good as a result of it's important to work laborious in opposition to any Ballymena staff.
“They're an astute group of gamers that went to the Irish Cup Closing final 12 months, so we will probably be happy with our work.”
Jeffrey was upbeat about his staff’s show, though he nonetheless has quite a bit to work on.
“I used to be clearly disenchanted with the consequence, however inspired by the efficiency,” he mentioned.
“The truth of full-time and part-time was very evident.
“Properly carried out, Crusaders. They deserved their victory, they performed some nice stuff.
“For my very own gamers, they by no means gave up, they stored going to the tip. In case you are to get something out of those video games, you want just a little bit of fine fortune.
“We had three events once we threatened, however in entrance of aim we didn’t have that bit of fine fortune. I don’t wish to be over vital of the gamers, however Crusaders’ targets got here from easy errors.
“In saying that, we needed to be heroic on events with gamers throwing their our bodies in entrance of pictures and crosses. You might be all the time disenchanted in defeat, however I used to be inspired by the dedication of the gamers.
“We have now to face actuality as regards to full-time and part-time.”