Institute head to Dundela following morale-boosting win over Warrenpoint

Dundela vs. Institute | Wilgar Park | Saturday, 3pm

Institute boss Peter Hutton has full confidence in his young team adapting to the challenges of the NIFL Championship after watching them produce an encouraging start to the new season.

It is a new chapter for both Hutton and a number of players at the club, but they have coped well so far, taking seven points from their first five games to take them into the top six. On Saturday past, they dug out a 1-0 win over Warrenpoint at the Brandywell, a result borne of determination and togetherness, which Hutton believes can only hold them in good stead going forward.

“It’s a young squad and a young team and there will be ups and downs and we know that and we have to accept that," he said. "It’s part and parcel of trying to bring in young players. They just don’t have that level of consistency even in terms of mindset, so it’s trying to make that transition into senior football, which is difficult at the best of times. But they are a really good group, a really good bunch of lads, and the experienced boys will bring them on as well. We are trying to create a really good environment and a really positive mindset amongst them and it’s going well so far.”

It has been a positive 10 days at the club, with the players responding to a late defeat to Limavady United with a thumping 5-1 victory over Dergview in the Northwest Cup before the morale-boosting win over Warrenpoint. It gives them some momentum heading to Dundela this weekend.

“It just breeds that bit of confidence," Hutton continued. "We have a tough game now against Dundela next week, which will be something similar to what we experienced (against Warrenpoint), so it gives the players heart and confidence going forward. The clean sheet is important for the mindset. It breeds confidence.

"I thought Jack Mills, even though he had very little to do, what he did, he did exceptionally well. There was a one-on-one, when it was 0-0 and he did very well for that and kept us in it. For a goalkeeper who wasn’t really involved in much of the general play, he did really well.”

'Stute's start to the season could have been even more rewarding if not for the concession of late goals in games against Ards and Limavady United, both at the Brandywell.

Institute manager Peter Hutton has enjoyed a decent start to life back in senior football. (Photo: nwpresspics)

“It could have been." Hutton agreed. "We spoke about that and hopefully over the course of the season you get your just rewards, but performance-wise they have been very good. Our worst performance to date was probably here against Limavady, and even then we fell to a last-minute goal.

"We were very poor in that game and didn’t play any type of football at all, which was unlike us. We didn’t get to the standards we had previously, but here, first half we were very good and moved it really well, but again, the final ball just let us down.”

Accepting the role as 'Stute manager in the summer meant a return to senior football for the first time in 10 years for Hutton, and he admits it has not just been a case of easily regaining his bearings.

“I wouldn’t say that," he laughed. "I’m definitely a lot greyer after today. I just said to the boys that I’ll be completely grey by the end of the month if they keep going. It’s there to be enjoyed. We know there are difficulties in terms of the finance and things like that, but again, you just get on with the hand your dealt and you look forward to that.

Hutton has spent much of the past decade developing younger players locally, and that background, coupled with 'Stute's history of offering players opportunities in senior football has the potential to make this a perfect match this season and beyond.

IN PICTURES: Tweed secures late win for Institute

“We have some really good young players, which was evidenced against Dergview in the Northwest Cup," Hutton explained. "We played a lot of the U21s in that as well, some of the younger boys on the fringes of the first team, and again, they put in a really, really good performance, and they lay down a marker for me even to say here, don’t forget about me, and that all bodes well for the future.”