Coleraine and Glentoran both looking for an improvement

The Bannsiders have shipped seven goals in their last two games, and finished up with nothing to show for their efforts despite dominating large parts of the games against Linfield and Crusaders.

“If you’re conceding goals like the way we are at the minute, then you’re going to make things extremely difficult for yourself,” said the Bannsiders boss.

“It’s a wee bit frustrating because going forward I thought we were excellent and it frustrates the life out of me that we’ve conceded four goals.

“The thing is that you turn around and tell the players to not give away your shirt easily but we have made elementary mistakes.

“There are players waiting in the wings for their opportunity.

“Things will improve and I don’t think it’s a travesty at this stage but if we improve defensively then everyone would have left here tonight thinking Coleraine are a good side.”

McAree is hoping for a response at home against Glentoran on Saturday.

He said: “Football is great because the next game comes around so fast.

“Glentoran have turned a corner and are starting to do well.

“They have an attacking threat but we will work on that.

“If we tidy up at the back and continue doing what we are doing going forward, then we will be alright.”

The Glens are also smarting after letting their last game get away rom them.

Gary Smyth’s side looked to be in control against Glenavon at The Oval on Monday night thanks to Darren Murray’s spot kick.

But late goals from Gary Hamilton and Conor McCloskey left Smyth shell-shocked at the end.

“I was in total shock at the final whistle because, to me, we were mugged,” said the Glens boss at the end.

“It was a game we never looked like losing - we were comfortable.

“They put us under a bit of pressure in the first half, but we dealt with it well. Our goalkeeper Dwayne Nelson had only one save to make.

“We got our goal at a good time, six or seven minutes before the interval.

“I thought we totally bossed the second half, which developed into a nothing affair.

“But our defending for their goals left a lot to be desired. We didn’t deal with the throw-in and we didn’t deal with the bouncing ball.

“If we want to be better, move on and move up the table, we need to be a lot better than that.

“Had we won that match 1-0, people would have gone away and thought it was comfortable.

“We need to learn how to manage a game better.

“When we brought Curtis Allen and Robbie McDaid on in the second half we should have soaked up the pressure more and looked to hit Glenavon on the break.

“Things have been going well of late and there’s a bit of a buzz around the place, but we were all shocked after that result.

“We don’t have the devine right to beat anybody because we are where we are, but I thought we were comfortable.

“We’ve another tough one coming up now against Coleraine, it’s important that we bounce back from the disappointment.”