Sam Gordon embracing Muckamore increased expectations

The Moylena club have spent three of the last five seasons in the top flight and will be considered by many as early favourites to win the Robinson Services Section One title.

Last season was a disappointing one for Muckamore, who won seven of their 18 league games and ultimately finished sixth in the table, but this campaign has a fresh feeling to it - albeit with old faces.

Former captain Neil Gill is back at the club after spending two years with Carrickfergus and opening bowler Pavan Karthik has also returned from Woodvale.

Add into that South African overseas player Donald Dinake and the experienced Kyllin Vardhan – who has previously played for Coleraine, The Hills and North West Warriors – and you can see why Gordon is so pleased with the squad he has at his disposal.

“Bringing the likes of Neil, Pavan and Sunny (Stephenson) back and Kyllin has been great,” he said. “It has brought a bit more experience to our side and we still have the youngsters running through it with Luke Allen and Ewan Wilson, who had a great season last year so, hopefully, he can back that up.

“We have a lot more depth now.

“That was the problem when we would lose a few through injury or unavailability, the depth just wasn’t there...but we absolutely have it now.

“Our bowling has let us down over the last couple of years so having Giller and Pavan back at the top makes a huge difference.”

Muckamore started their campaign off with an emphatic 160-run win over Bangor and will be hoping to follow it up against Dundrum after Saturday’s encounter with Ballymena was postponed.

Gordon led from the front, scoring 93 before picking up figures of 4-23, and he is looking to continue in that form after a ‘bad season’ last time out.

“It was a fantastic