Ballinamallard face an uphill task if they are to achieve their target of making the top half of the NIFL Championship before the league splits, after failing to secure a win at Dergview.

The goalless draw on Tuesday evening leaves the Mallards back in ninth place, four points adrift of that elusive sixth spot having played a game more than the three clubs above them, and manager Tommy Canning admits their chances of clawing back that deficit are fading.

“I don’t know if that point is going to be enough for us in terms of the top six,” he conceded.

“We have three games to play and we probably now need to win the three of them, which will be a big ask. We really wanted three points against Dergview to try and keep that alive. Maybe we will need to rely on other results now, but we will see.”

Darragh Park is traditionally a difficult place for Ballinamallard to visit, and memories of their Boxing Day defeat were still fresh in the mind of the manager ahead of the game, but he felt this week’s showing was much improved.

“In comparison to the day we were down here on Boxing Day it is a better performance, and we are closer to finding ways of winning in games like this. It’s hard to be critical of the players because they gave everything to try to get the win to be fair to them.”

The first half was a tight and uninspiring affair with Josh McIlwaine coming closest for the Mallards and Padraig Lynch hitting the bar for the home team, but Canning was much happier with his team’s second-half display.

“I thought the first half was a horrible game of football,” he admitted. “There was very little quality in the game whatsoever. In the second-half, I thought we were much, much better.

"I thought we dominated completely. We were in complete control and Jamie Ray had nothing to do. It's not easy coming here, and Dergview are fighting for their lives and fighting for every point they can get, so you have to understand that.

"The message at half-time was to be patient and disciplined. A clean sheet was what we were looking for and we knew we would get a chance and we did through Callum (Moorehead). It is an inch away from being an unbelievable finish.

"It is hard to be critical of Callum because he has been great for us these last few weeks, but that was the chance.

"We had other chances in the game, and decent balls into the box, but we just couldn’t get the goal.”

Ballinamallard welcome in-form Bangor to Ferney Park this Saturday.

The Seasiders have lost only one of their last 14 league games, a run that has taken them to second place in the Championship table.

“They look the most like someone who wants to go and win the league,” said Canning.

“They are in an unbelievable run of form, and I don’t know when they last lost. In Mark Stafford’s first game as interim manager we won 3-0 up there but they have gone on an unbelievable run since then.

"We will enjoy getting onto Ferney Park again. It suits how we play, and we will give them a real good go and see how it goes.”

Ballinamallard came through the Dergview clash unscathed and will have Alex Holder available again after suspension.