Kenny Shiels has insisted that revenge is NOT on Derry City’s minds ahead of tonight’s derby clash with Finn Harps at the Brandywell (kick-off 8.00pm).
The 2-1 defeat at Harps on the opening day of the season – City’s first league defeat to Harps in 18 years – has not been forgotten by the clubs’ fans, who have since watched the Candy Stripes soar to the high end of the Airtricity Premier Division.
Since losing to Ryan Curran’s goal on March 4, City have lost just once in 11 games in all competitions, and go into tonight’s fixture on the back of thrilling wins against Cork City and St. Patrick’ Athletic.
Shiels (pictured) is well aware of the desire amongst the fans to avenge the defeat in Ballybofey, but he insisted that his players would keep their feet firmly on the ground ahead of the game.
“There’s a great saying that revenge is a dish best served cold, and we must take the heat out of it and prepare for the game like any other game,” he said.
“We know it’s a derby and that there will be a decent crowd there. We have got to forget about what happened in the first game and prepare and look at it as a game of football that we feel we can win, and if we do that then happy days, we can move on.
“We’ve lost one game since they beat us. We have 23 points from our last ten games and that’s significant.
“We’ve won two on the bounce so let’s go on another little run hopefully and see how we go with Finn Harps. The boys are up for it.”
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