I know exactly what it will take to move us on and to get us through difficult period, says Coleraine chief Oran Kearney as they aim to end six-match losing run

The men from the north coast were put to the sword by the Glens as poor defending and individual errors condemned Coleraine to their sixth successive defeat in all competitions.

The result also meant Kearney's men dropped out of the top six as Glenavon leapfrogged the Bannsiders on goal difference.

You have to go back to the 2014/15 campaign for the last time Coleraine failed to finish in the top half come the League split and a loss today at home to Carrick Rangers could see Coleraine drop even further down the standings.

However, Kearney is adamant that the return of players from injuries and suspension will help in their quest to return to form.

"Morale has been good but it's been a really tough period and there's no getting away from that,” he said.

“It's been a tough period for players, it's been a tough period for me and for everybody.

“But to me the facts are out there and to me we're on the verge or the edge of – people will say I keep making excuses, people will say I keep giving facts – all I can do is give facts where we have had a constant five or six senior players missing from every game this season.

"Four of those guys will be hopefully available for this weekend so it's been challenging and it's been tough but I said it in the changing room and I've no problem saying it now and people will say it's not about throwing people under the bus or whatever.

“But there are guys there who have had lots of opportunities this season, a lot of opportunities that they wouldn't normally have had, and sadly, and I've said it in there, they haven't taken those opportunities.

“There's guys in there possibly who might not step on a pitch again for Coleraine and sadly that's the nature of the scenario we find ourselves in.”

Whilst admitting he would like to add some more faces to his three new recruits during the January transfer window, Kearney is equally focused on getting injured players back up to speed.

He added: “For me, and there's been lots of it in the past couple of weeks, people are quick to judge, people are quick to make interpretations and there's been lots of goading in all shapes and form.

“I'm 100 per cent crystal clear where we're at at this point in time and I know exactly what it will take to move us on and to get us through and I know that's not far away.

“For me, moving forward in the next few weeks will be a strangely different feeling than we've had this season.

“I think this weekend we will possibly be down to just one or two absentees and I don't think it's been like that al season.

“We still want to do a little bit of business and there's still business to be done outwit the club, but a big part of our business is getting what we have fit and on the pitch and all on the pitch at the same time.”