BY ADRIAN RUTHERFORD

THERE is never a good time to play Glentoran but, when you're bottom of the table and still without a point after the opening two rounds, it's an even more daunting prospect facing Dungannon Swifts this weekend.

The third weekend of the regular season brings the first real test of the league campaign as Swifts travel to the Oval to face the Glens, who are the early pacesetters having won their first 10 league and cup games.

It's a ground which holds some painful memories for Dungannon, including an 8-0 mauling in their first match at senior level four years ago, and on current form it's hard to see anything other than another heavy defeat.

But manager Harry Fay insists his side have no fears about facing the country's form team and believes they are capable of producing a major shock, by becoming the first side to take league points off the Glens this season.

Two heavy defeats against Newry and Glenavon have left Dungannon stranded at the foot of the table, but Fay firmly believes they can achieve a positive result when top meets bottom in East Belfast on Saturday afternoon.

"It's obviously a tough one but it's a match I'm looking forward to with some interest," he said. "It's been well documented how poor we've played in the two league games and I'm looking for a response from the players after Friday night.

"It will not be easy because they are the form side and if you look at the early league table it will show it is top against bottom. Most people won't be giving us much hope but we'll go there and give it our best shot.

"We've done well there before and if we get our game plan right and work hard I believe we have a good chance of earning something."

Fay has come under increased pressure in recent weeks and last Friday's loss to Glenavon will have done little to appease those who have criticised both manager and players in recent weeks, but the Swifts boss insists he is not feeling the stress.

Indeed this weekend's trip to the Oval may work in Dungannon's favour as they will head to the capital without the pressure of expectation, and it is generally in the big games where they perform best.

"Just a few weeks ago everyone was looking forward to the new season. Now we have the dissenters crawling out of the woodwork and they're criticising me, the players, everything. But that's football and you just have to get on with it," Fay said.

"There is always expectancy within the club to do well because we set ourselves standards, but I suppose the exterior pressure may not be as obvious this weekend. The first priority is to start picking up points in the league and there's no reason why we can't do it on Saturday.

"It will not be easy because Glentoran are a quality side and they are scoring goals for fun. Those are factors we have to deal with but I'm looking forward to the match and I've no doubt the players will be looking forward to it as well."

If Dungannon are to achieve a first win of the season then finding a way of stopping former Swifts star David Scullion will be a key part of Fay's pre-match plans.

The Northern Ireland U21 star has been an integral part of the Glens' success thus far, and Fay knows all about the threat from former players after three ex-Swifts scored for Glenavon last Friday night.

"I hope that doesn't carry through to this weekend," he added. "Obviously David Scullion will be a massive threat. On his day there is no better winger in the Irish League, we know that and we saw that during his three seasons with Dungannon.

"He's a quality player who did very well for us and he is a real threat which we will have to nullify come Saturday, but we have good players within our team as well and I will be looking for them to perform and cause Glentoran a few problems too."