Carrick Rangers' Struggles Continue as Manager King Calls for Greater Consistency

In a frustrating turn of events for Carrick Rangers, manager Stuart King expressed his disappointment following a lackluster performance against Loughgall, which culminated in a 3-0 defeat. Despite coming off a promising 2-0 victory against Glenavon just a week prior, the team was unable to replicate that form, leading King to declare the display "not acceptable." Loughgall took control of the match early, with Jordan Gibson finding the net twice in the first half. Despite Carrick's efforts, they struggled to respond effectively, and a late goal from Benji Magee sealed a comfortable win for the home side. Reflecting on his team's performance, King acknowledged that Loughgall thoroughly deserved the three points, emphasizing that his players failed to capitalize on critical moments, particularly during set-pieces. "There wasn’t much between the two teams in the first half, but we didn’t switch on for two set-plays," King remarked. He pointed to a lack of creativity and assertiveness in the second half, highlighting how his squad created very little in terms of goal-scoring opportunities. "After that, they dominated the game," he noted, lamenting the missed chances and the team's inability to match the intensity displayed by Loughgall. King had previously praised his squad's quality, labeling it "the best it has ever been" after their opening win. However, his assessment of the performance against Loughgall was starkly different. "Last week they got lots of praise, they were phenomenal and really good. This week was the complete opposite," he admitted, calling for greater consistency from his players. The manager underscored the significance of maintaining high performance levels, indicating that inconsistency had plagued the team in the past. "There are enough senior players in that changing room that they know and don't need to be told," he said, emphasizing the need for accountability and improvement moving forward. As the season progresses, Carrick Rangers will need to find a balance between their strengths and weaknesses to avoid falling into the same patterns that hindered their previous campaign. The disappointment from this encounter serves as a reminder of the challenges facing the team as they aim for a more stable and successful season.