Dean Smith accepts ‘dose of reality’ now wants Loughgall lessons
Loughgall manager Dean Smith reflected on “a wee dose of reality” delivered in Saturday’s home slump to Coleraine by 4-0.
A Matthew Shevlin double alongside away goals from Jamie McGonigle and Rhyss Campbell rewarded the Bannsiders for a sparkling attacking display that took full advantage of a Loughgall afternoon which Smith accepted “we didn’t put a glove on them”.
"It's a wee dose of reality for us...we know we can't afford to carry too many passengers in any game and today we carried too many,” said Smith. "Also, it's about how you get beat, to be honest, I thought Coleraine were the better team from minute one to minute 90.
"We wanted to try and keep two up front and keep their back four occupied and try to be more offensive in terms of can we put a high squeeze on them.
"But we didn't put a glove on them and they were better than us on the day, so we just move forward.
"It's a really poor performance, we are not going to dress it up.
"It's very frustrating when you've just come from the last four, five or six performances...what I'd call proper Loughgall performances.
"Today is one of those days when you just have to suck up your medicine and say you were beat by the better team on the day.
"For us, it's drawing a line under it, we probably have to refocus ourselves and get back to where we were the last four or five weeks."
A 12th loss of 17 top-flight fixtures has left Loughgall with 42 goals conceded – with Carrick next in line on 28 against having played a game fewer.
"It (Coleraine's first goal) is a carbon-copy of last week against Crusaders,” said Smith. "And we need to start learning from it.
"We had three really good opportunities throughout the game but I don't think their goalkeeper is coming off any dirtier than when he walked on.
"So that probably sums our day up...we've just got to look forward.
"At the other end, we were defensively poor as a group as well, so when you've got those two together it doesn't make for a good end.
"The goals we gave away, that was probably us back to what we were at the start of the season...poor goals, individual errors costing us, making wrong decisions."