Darren Lockhart will be back on familiar ground tomorrow afternoon praying for a miracle.

As Bangor arrive at the Oval for a daunting JJB Sports Premiership battle with Glentoran, the midfielder will look skywards and utter the words: “I hope someone up there will be kind to us.”

The Seasiders are still reeling from the 5-0 thrashing dished out by Crusaders at Clandeboye Park and there are easier places for the north Down men to get back on track than the Oval.

After impressive wins over Institute and Glenavon, the Crusaders result was a wake up call to Marty Quinn’s side — a reminder that there will be days like this, days you will just want to forget.

Quinn is honest enough to admit that come the end of the season Glentoran will be chasing the Gibson Cup while his own side could be chasing survival.

So any point gained in east Belfast tomorrow will be a precious one. Lockhart, who won two league titles and lifted the Irish Cup twice in green, red and black, knows how formidable the challenge is.

However, Locky helped the Crues stun Glentoran in the semi-finals of the CIS Insurance Cup last season and the Hatchetmen did hold the Glens 1-1 last month.

“I have done OK in my games against the Glens through the years but we are going to be up against it,” he said.

“Glentoran aren’t going to give anyone an easy game at the Oval and for us it is perhaps even more difficult coming off the back of a very disappointing result against Crusaders.

“We don’t want to suffer another heavy defeat because they are hard to accept.

“But you have to give Alan McDonald credit for bringing young players to Glentoran — players who are hungry and energetic with pace, that is what the league needs.

“Linfield will remain favourites for the title but I think the Glens will run them very close.”

For a team which Lockhart admits has been “thrown together”, Bangor can look positively on their early season form.

The heavy defeat to the Crues only confirmed what the Seasiders know already — the season ahead will not be plain sailing.

“Teams like Portadown and Donegal Celtic held on to their players so the manager will have found it hard to strengthen the team but it is workmanlike and with a little fortune in games we can pick up a lot of points,” added the 34-year-old.

“I wasn’t used to being on the losing side with the Glens or Crues so I don’t want that trend to change and I’m confident there is enough character and ability at the club to see us move in the right direction.

“It’s going to be a long season for all the clubs as the matches will be fiercely competitive but we can’t get too depressed if we lose or too excited if we win.

“It really will be one game at a time for us in a season of consolidation.”

After postponing his retirement in the summer, Locky is still loving the game, adding: “I feel good and the hunger is still there.

“I missed much of pre-season as I was away in June and on holiday in Toronto with my family in July but I played 90 minutes in a practise match this week and I feel stronger.”

Glentoran will witness Locky’s renewed hunger tomorrow.