Bannsiders need to eradicate silly goals moving forward after Bangor loss, says boss Ruaidhri Higgins
After watching his side lose for the second time in three matches – Coleraine boss Ruaidhri Higgins has demanded that the Bannsiders shore things up at the back.
The men from the north coast were punished for defensive frailties on Saturday afternoon as they were stunned by Bangor at Clandeboye Park.
The opener arrived when Coleraine failed to clear their lines twice from a set-piece which allowed Jay Boyd to plant a header into the bottom corner of the net with 17 minutes on the clock.
Just before the break, the Bannsiders were sucker-punched as they were left exposed with a simple ball over the top as Ben Arthurs marched through and smashed beyond Aidan Harris.
The second-half was an onslaught by Coleraine – as Bangor were reduced to ten men following Harry Lynch’s dismissal – with Zane Okoro making the scoreline 2-1 with 35 minutes remaining.
However, they failed to find a way past former stopper Gareth Deane for a second time as they left empty-handed and a chance to move top after Larne’s loss at Dungannon Swifts.
Higgins stated after the full-time whistle: "Frustrated, really, really frustrated.
"I think we've conceded a really poor goal early in the game and it's given Bangor something to hang on to, credit to them that they took their opportunity.
"The second goal was a poor goal as well from our end and it's given them a real grip of the game but I felt that we stuck at it, we kept playing, we created numerous opportunities in the game.
"But in saying that, when you give the opposition something to hang on to then we've created our own downfall by doing that so we have to accept responsibility for that.
"But the players kept going, there was no lack of desire to win the game, we just hit the woodwork a few times, we created plenty of opportunities and we had 35 minutes to go and get a second goal and we couldn't break the door down.
"But we have to get on with it, we have to accept it and get on with it and try to eradicate the poor goals that we're conceding.”
Coleraine had the likes of Ryan Schofield, club captain Lyndon Kane, Charles Dunne, Connor Murray and Jamie McGonigle watching from the stands through injury – but Higgins refused to blame knocks as a reason for the defeat.
He also commented on the fitness of midfielder Stephen Fallon who is waiting to make his competitive debut after signing from Linfield in the summer.
"Aye, we have quite a few injuries at the minute which is pretty frustrating but listen, it's not an excuse,” he added.
"We still have a really good team on the pitch and a team that we felt could come here and win the game.
“Stephen had a bad hamstring injury towards the end of his time at Linfield and it wasn't really rehabbed properly, so we've just tried to rehab it properly and make sure that he doesn't re-injure it when he returns.
"He's towards the back end of his rehab programme now so hopefully he’s back in the not too distant future.
"Listen, he's had a traumatic time with injuries so it won't be a case of when he's fit that we will throw him in there...we have to look after his best interests and make sure that we do right by him.”