Jim Magilton was less than impressed with his side’s defending after they were beaten 6-2 by a rampant Coleraine at The Showgrounds.

Cliftonville made a dream start as they led 2-0 through efforts from Joe Gormley and Liam McStravick but that early joy was short-lived as Coleraine rallied to take all three points via goals through Joel Cooper (3), Matthew Shevlin (2) and Senan Devine.

DREAM START AND THEN AGONY?

"We set up really brilliantly, we worked on one or two aspects, and when you see that work then transferred into a game, and at 2-0, I thought we executed that plan perfectly.

placeholder image — Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton

"The mistake from one of our most experienced players for the first goal...it's unfathomable.

"It then just gave them the impetus but it doesn't take much for good players to smell that, and then the four goals after that are so simple.

“Every time the ball went into the box, it looked like they were going to score.

HALF-TIME THOUGHTS?

“From being 2-0 up, and being really well in the game to then suddenly being 4-2 down at half-time…you're thinking capitulation here.

"So we had to make changes at half-time. Obviously we played with a lot of younger players, but that's by the by, you know, they all want to play for the clubs and have to step up.

"It's a very difficult place to come and do that, but, you know, 6-2 in the end, they won at a canter.

INJURY LIST?

"It's probably the worst I've ever experienced, and as I've always said, and I'm not making an excuse here, because all these players want to play, but it’s a very difficult environment and uncompromising league, so it's always difficult to make that step up.

"We got bad news with Adebayo Fapetu during the week...he's out for probably 3-6 months with a high ankle sprain, so, that's just the nature of the beast.

"We've got 12 first team lads out now, and we're labouring at the minute, and we're doing everything we can to try and get them fit, but it's difficult, it is difficult.