Carrick Rangers manager Stuart King describes 9-0 defeat to Crusaders as “worst I've ever been involved in”

The day started off with good news for the County Antrim outfit as American businessman Michael Smith was announced as the club’s new majority shareholder, but things went from bad to worse on the pitch as Carrick found themselves 5-0 down at half-time after Ben Kennedy struck four times in a span of 19 minutes.

King’s side had also been reduced to 10-men with Kyle Cherry sent off in the 24th minute and the hosts then added another four after the break with Philip Lowry, Billy Joe Burns, Jimmy Callacher and James Teelan finding the net.

It’s a third defeat in four matches for Carrick at the start of the new Sports Direct Premiership campaign and King was understandably furious.

"Where do I start?" he told the club’s media channel. “It's totally unacceptable.

"They didn't listen - we went through everything, knew what way they played, knew they had forward runners from midfield, we didn't track runners, didn't head balls, didn't get competitive. That's totally unacceptable.

"I take full responsibility for that. Maybe some have been distracted by what's gone on but I have to find the answers now because that's not good enough at all. I'm absolutely raging.

"It's on my shoulders because they are my players and they've been outstanding for me, but I feel let down by them tonight.

"I'm not prepared to go away to any team and put in a performance like that. People have paid in to watch us tonight, including my own family, and a lot of young fans and that's the worst defeat I've ever been involved in in 25 years of senior football and they are meant to represent me.

"They've had loads of praise but tonight isn't good enough."

It doesn’t get any easy for the ‘Gers as they now travel to table-toppers Linfield on Saturday, where Smith will be in attendance to watch his new club for the first time.

Carrick have suffered 11 consecutive defeats at Windsor Park, scoring just twice in those matches, but King wants to see a reaction from his squad.

"We regroup and batten down the hatches,” he added. “Our season overall won't be defined on that - maybe I will - but the lads won't be defined on away to Crusaders.

"Thankfully we're away again and we can go give it a rattle.

"I said on Saturday and I'll say it again that I don't mind getting beat if there's effort and commitment, but they didn't listen tonight.

"We had a game plan and they haven't done what they've been asked to do tonight.

"They might have been distracted and I'll take responsibility for it, but I'm not going to take responsibility going forward for that."