Glentoran ace has clear focus as he bids to put early season frustration behind him

Glentoran are riding high at the top of the Irish Premiership and one new signing is determined to do what he can to keep them there

After making his summer switch to Glentoran, Pat Hoban was hoping to hit the ground running at The Oval.

But frustratingly for the experienced frontman he was forced to watch on from the sidelines after picking up an injury on the eve of the big kick-off.

The former Derry City man is back and firing once more after bagging his first goals for the Glens in the 3-1 Co Antrim Shield win over Ards in midweek and he is hungry for more.

“At the start of a new season you want to be fit and firing on all cylinders, so picking up an injury just before the first game was really frustrating,” said Hoban.

“As a new signing all you want to do is get out there, play football and show people what you can bring to the team and I hate being injured more than anything.

“It was tough sitting on the sidelines and watching, but at the same time the lads have been outstanding. The way we have started the season, unbeaten and right up at the top of the table, speaks volumes about the quality in this squad.

“To be back involved now feels fantastic. Coming on against Carrick at the weekend gave me a real buzz just to be back on the pitch, but to then make my first start on Tuesday and score twice was exactly what I have been working towards.

“As a striker, goals are your bread and butter, they are what you thrive on and putting the ball in the back of the net is why I have been brought here. To get off the mark so quickly was a brilliant feeling and hopefully it is just the start of a big season for me and for the team.

“My focus is very simple. I want to play games, score goals and help this team lift trophies. That is what drives me every day and it is why I came to Glentoran.

“From my very first conversation with Declan [Devine] and Paddy [McCourt], they spoke about the ambition of bringing trophies back to this club and rewarding the Glentoran fans. That really struck a chord with me because I am at a stage of my career where winning is all that matters.”

Four wins and a draw have Glentoran top of the Irish Premiership, but Hoban is expecting a tough test from Ballymena United this afternoon.

“Ballymena have shown already that they’re a really tough side to break down,” he said.

“Three clean sheets in their first four games tells you how strong they are defensively and at the same time they’ve got players who can hurt you going forward with eight goals scored.

“For us, it’s about going there and imposing our game on them. We need to win our individual battles all across the park, nullify their threats going forward and make sure we take our chances when they come.”