Larne head coach Gary Haveron has made a pledge that players and staff will give back to the supporters that travelled to Portadown for Saturday’s “pathetic” 2-0 Premiership defeat.

A quickfire flurry from Josh Ukek and Ahu Obhakhan condemned the reigning champions to a third consecutive league defeat while Niall Currie’s side strengthened their bid for a top-six finish, now collecting seven points from a potential nine against Larne this term.

Haveron’s side had put together an eight-game unbeaten league run prior to last weekend’s defeat to Crusaders but have now lost three times in seven days as the games continue to come thick and fast.

Larne are scheduled to play 14 league matches across February and March and while they are still in the race to secure automatic European football for next term, Haveron branded their weekend display as unacceptable.

placeholder image — Larne head coach Gary Haveron. (Photo by David Maginnis/Pacemaker Press)

"Pathetic is the only way I can describe it, especially with our first half performance,” he told the club’s media channel. “The second half wasn't much better but the first half performance was so unlike what we've worked so hard for over the last four or five years now to try and create at the football club.

"The goals we conceded are so sloppy...it can't be acceptable and it won't be acceptable.

"We owe the fans back who came down to support the team.

"The players, the staff, we will all do something, whether it's putting on buses or whatever we need to do for the next away game because it's not acceptable for those people who've spent money to come down and support the team and that's the level of performance they get served up. Totally unacceptable.

"We looked clueless and didn't execute anything we talked about beforehand. We never got in behind them, never stretched them and never hurt them.

"You can make all the excuses you want about players we don't have available, but it's not acceptable. The 11 players that took to the pitch have to show heart and desire to play for Larne Football Club and we didn't show it."

Larne are in action once again on Tuesday evening when they host an in-form Glenavon, who have their sights set on a late charge for the top-six after winning a fifth consecutive league match by beating Cliftonville.

With most weeks now containing midweek and weekend fixtures heading into the split, Haveron hopes the star quality in Larne’s squad can shine through.

"The only way we're going to come out the other side of this is by sticking together,” he added. “We know we have real quality in the group.

"It's an incredibly difficult moment for us but you look at some top sides...I'm not talking about us in the same breath as Man City but they had a tough run this year and teams like Man United and Spurs too.

"You can't feel sorry for yourself - you have to come out fighting and with passion to represent your club when you pull on the shirt.

"That was severely lacking from us and that's more concerning for me...they were hungrier, wanted it more and played the conditions better."