Loughgall's Dean Smith still keeping the faith but concerned over ‘flat’ Irish League performances
Loughgall boss Dean Smith is refusing to push the panic button – but was firm following his side’s 5-1 loss on Saturday something must change.
Cliftonville inflicted a third defeat from six Sports Direct Premiership fixtures on the Villagers and a sole success in that run has left Smith searching for answers.
Last season’s return to top-flight football left Loughgall celebrated across the Irish League as a success story but Smith could only reflect on “another flat performance” at the weekend.
The Reds raced clear before the break off Joe Gormley, Kris Lowe and Jonny Addis then substitute Taylor Steven scored twice in the second half, with Nathaniel Ferris the home scorer.
"For 90 minutes we were, by far, the second-best team on the pitch, which we weren't about last year,” said Smith. "For some reason it has crept in and we've got to get rid of it pretty quickly.
"We spoke inside about it and I don't like harping back but last season we were really, really competitive.
"We made teams work for every single thing that we got but at the minute we're too easy to play against.
"We got a good performance last week (2-2 draw v Glenavon) when I think we did enough to get three points.
"We're really disappointed with the performance (today).
"The second goal is a 70-yard ball we get caught out with, the third is a corner...another set-piece we've conceded.
"We can do better with the goals we've conceded and it's three in eight minutes so the game's over."
However, despite frustration over the manner of defeat, Smith retains full faith in his squad.
"It's a really, really poor performance and very unlike us,” he said at Lakeview Park. "But it doesn't stop you having faith in the players we've got.
"We've got to be realistic and say we were really poor today...but we've still got a group of players mostly there from last year when we were able to put in performance after performance.
"We're maybe low in confidence at the minute but the group of players in there I trust wholly.
"We know that we can be better, it would be different if I was standing here saying this is the best we've got and we've been second-best all over.
"We know we can do much better and have done much better."