There are few shrewder brains in the NCU Premier League than Cliftonville Academy captain Matty McCord. Even before Thursday night’s T20 Cup action, he had worked out that if North Down lost to CSNI, then his side would almost certainly be through to the semi-finals, even before they play their third group game next week. He also claims that if they win their next two Premier League game they will be back in the top six, at least level on points, because of the other matches.

“I’m all over it,” he admits. What he didn’t expect though, before the start of the season, was that Cliftonville Academy would be playing at The Cloughan three times in the first six weeks. “That wasn’t on my bingo card”.

And after their fourth place finish in the Premier League last season, McCord certainly hadn’t banked on losing their first four games this year and knows the next month is going to dictate their season.

“I’m still optimistic but we have a lot of work to do. There is certainly no panic stations yet but if we lose our next two league games (at home to CIYMS on Saturday and at Templepatrick in two weeks’ time) it certainly will be,” he says.

“But there have been such small margins in some games and that makes a big difference. On the opening day of the season, we got the worst of the conditions (at North Down). When we batted it was black and overcast and it brightened up for them, and against Lisburn (at the Castle Grounds) it was a used wicket and they got the last of it. It was a completely different track when we batted on it.

“Against Instonians, we should have won it, which is mad to say when chasing 317 but when you are in that run of form, it is difficult to get over the line. Muckamore looked close (a 20 runs defeat) but to be honest we completely collapsed and it was John Glass and (Adam) Kelso who got us close with a 100-run partnership for the eighth wicket.

“We have definitely under-performed, especially with the bat, and last Saturday, in the Irish Cup, was the worst. Again we lost wickets in clumps and went from 56-0 to 70-5, another complete collapse.

“Yet when you look at our batting you have to say everyone has contributed, unfortunately just not at the same time and not enough to win a game, so it’s been a bit odd. Varun Chopra gets 30s every week and only Abi (Raut) is ahead of him, because he has got two hundreds but Varun his up with Jared and he has a 90 and a 60.”

At the start of the season, McCord told CricketEurope that they had “pushed as far as we could last year (to finish fourth) and it is going to be very difficult to get near the top two”. But assuming they are not in a relegation fight – and it is too good a squad to flirt with that – the Cliftonville Academy captain is focusing on the Cups this year.

“The T20 Cup is a big one, we are strong in T20s which probably speaks for itself this season when we have won every T20 and lost every 50-over game," he adds. "But I’m really excited about the T20 Cup. Last year we  lost one out of seven T20s – to Lisburn - and the only reason we didn’t make the semis was our game against Woodvale was a no result and they got through on net run rate. So it would be quite nice to play in a semi-final."

The Challenge Cup, though - they play Templepatrick in the first of back to back games next week - is literally a challenge all on its own for McCord. “My record is two wins in about 12 goes, but we will definitely target that but I’m already worried about our game.

“Templepatrick gave a good account of themselves against Clontarf and although we have already beaten them in the T20 Cup they didn’t have their pro and he has now arrived. They are certainly capable of beating us on the day.

“But then everyone can beat anyone else in this league. We know we could just as easily go to The Lawn and win or go to The Cloughan and lose. The next three-four weeks is season-defining for us, with the cups starting and we need to start picking up wins in the league. But we are still upbeat.”