POST-MATCH VERDICT: Dungannon Swifts 'soft' start hurt us in Cliftonville loss, says Rodney McAree
Rodney McAree rued his side’s start to the second-half – calling it “soft” – as they were beaten by Cliftonville.
Here’s what he had to say after the 2-0 loss at Solitude.
POOR START AFTER THE INTERVAL?
"For about 15-20 minutes, I thought we were soft. We showed a softness and when you look at the two goals that we conceded, we have to defend it better.
"We have to react to second balls better, we have to deal with things. We allow Cliftonville, which they want to do, get the midfielders high and in behind you and we allow Joe Sheridan to get into an area and then we make a stupid foul on the edge of the 18-yard line and we get punished.
"But over the course of 90 minutes, I don't think we deserved anything from the game.
"The first half, I thought we were good, I thought we were decent, I thought it was a decent game.
"But a huge amount of frustration and certain things went against us today as well. You need a bit of luck and decisions to go your own way too today maybe they didn’t.
OFFSIDE/FOUL COMPLAINTS FOR OPENER?
“I don't know, I would need to have a look, I need to have a look back on it.
"I thought we have to react to the first one, we have to win the first one, we have to react to the second one and then it bounces into the net and it’s soft.
DIFFICULT WEEK AFTER BETMCLEAN CUP EXIT?
"Listen, during the week was what it was. We tried to put it out of our system, we tried to forget about it.
"Overall, we've got a changing room that's competing and fighting for us and doing well. Overall, we're probably punching above our weight a little bit as well after the start that we've had.
"But we've a good changing room. I don't worry about that side of things. It's hugely frustrating.
"Listen, Dixie (Robinson, assistant manager) gets sent off for not using any foul language, not using it.
"I was standing beside him, he says it was embarrassing, is what he said. He gets sent off for it. It's frustration from our point of view, from coaches point of view, you're involved in the game. This is our livelihood, it's my livelihood, it's Dixie's livelihood.
"He's a full-time coach at the club within different aspects. You're doing your best to carry out your responsibilities as best you possibly can. So there's a huge amount of frustration, whether he gets sent off for that or not on this day in age, I'm not sure.”