With the most unkind of fixture schedules in the opening weeks now out of the way, the Allen Park boss is confident that his side can start picking up points and climbing away from the foot of the Interim League table.

Corner fell to a not unexpected home defeat by Harland and Wolff Welders – a team who would comfortably survive in the Championship, only for their facilities to have condemned them to the third tier – although Candlish believes the 6-0 scoreline was kind to the Belfast side.

“We actually did a lot of good things and should have scored a few ourselves – Geoff Tweed hit the bar and we missed a couple of one-on-ones – but again a lack of concentration at the back cost us.

“We had six teenagers in our starting line-up and I’ve no doubt they will improve but then the double-edged sword is that bigger clubs come sniffing.

“Stevie King, our new loan signing from Ballyclare, looks good and if we can add another couple of players with a bit of Irish League experience it will be a help.

“It’s not for the want of trying but it’s difficult persuading players to step out of their comfort zone of playing maybe reserve team football, whereas playing for us at first team level would improve both us as a team and them as a player,” added Candlish.

With no league game scheduled for this Saturday, Candlish moved quickly to firm up a home friendly match with Killymoon Rangers (2.30pm), who find themselves in a similar position in the Championship.

It should be an interesting test as the Cookstown-based side – in complete contrast to the likes of Dundela and the Welders – earned their place in the second tier on the back of their excellent facilities at the Mid-Ulster Sports Arena, but on the pitch, they have found the step up to be tough, taking just one point from their opening seven games.