Rangers getting used to life in Championship

“That’s how it is in the Championship and, while it’s not how we’d like it, it’s just something that we’ll have to deal with and we will,” said the Taylor’s Avenue boss, who had rearranged the outstanding friendly match against Rosario for last Tuesday.

“It’s important to play games of some sort, especially given the fact that we don’t have the benefit of reserve fixtures this season, so we will endeavour to sort out a match and I’m currently working on that.

“I’m conscious of the fact that match-time is important for guys like Glenn Taggart, who was on the bench on Saturday but is not yet up to the level of fitness required to be where I want him to be. So these friendlies are more for players who need opportunities to spend time on the pitch.

“It would obviously be nice to have a fixtures schedule in line with that in the top-flight, but I’m not frustrated by how things are in the lower divisions. You just accept how things are and move on, my attitude being that there really is no point in groaning about it, as that will achieve nothing,” he added.

Championship 1 kicked off last Saturday, of course, and Rangers got their first point on the board with a battling 2-2 draw at home to Institute at Ballyclare’s Dixon Park. But it really could – and should – have been so much more.

“We gave away a couple of sloppy goals and looked in a bit of trouble as a result, not least because we lost a bit of composure. But the second half was a vastly-improved performance and we got it back to 2-2. However, I am being very serious when I say we would not have been flattered by a win of about 6-2 or 7-2!

“Giving away those two poor goals may have proved costly in the end, but I was always confident we could get back on track because we have players who can get goals and that was shown in the second half. We created a hatful of chances but just couldn’t get the winner we thoroughly deserved,” Hughes said.

“The positives for me against Institute were the way we kept fighting throughout and, most especially, our fitness levels. It was night and day in comparison to theirs, but I was talking to their manager afterwards and he said they hadn’t been working very hard on that aspect of their game.

“One of the minus points was the injury to striker Sencer Yilmaz. He had a couple of scoring chances and just overstretched a little bit in trying to reach the ball for one of those. He has pulled a muscle in his back and we’re not sure how long he’ll be out for – but it does mean one less option up front.”

Hughes revealed his is still keen on bringing new faces to Carrick Rangers. “I’m still pursuing three possible signings, including the experienced guy I mentioned last week, but I’m not rushing things since there’s about four weeks before the transfer window closes.”

The Rangers boss is now working on the likelihood that Saturday will be taken up with an intensive training session – although that could change.

Tuesday evening brings more League action with a trip to Clandeboye Park for a testing fixture with Bangor, who started with a scoreless draw on the road against Dergview.

“Bangor are one of the stronger teams in this division and I am sure this will be a tough one to win. However, if I can get the players to perform with the same enthusiasm and commitment as in the second half against Institute, then I will be happy that we will get a result,” said Hughes.