Fan service

Paddy McLaughlin says that Cliftonville supporters’ response to last week’s defeat can be a driving force ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Coleraine.

The Reds’ 4-0 reverse at Larne on a controversial night at Inver Park represented their first Danske Bank Premiership loss since their previous visit to Coleraine on the opening day of the season and, while vowing to learn lessons from how last Friday’s nightmare unfolded, McLaughlin says it did not go unnoticed that large swathes of the Red Army stayed in place to acknowledge the team after the final whistle.

“The last time we lost a League game, we went on a good unbeaten run so if we can do that again, it would be brilliant for us,” he says.

“It’s important that we put good runs together when the defeats come our way. When it comes to games like last week, we just have to take the hit and try to learn from it first and foremost but also try to improve.

“I actually turned to the dugout in the closing stages of the game to talk about our fans and how they hung in there.

“I think they understood the frustrations of what we were going through and had to endure as much as they did. Fair play to them, they stayed right to the end and clapped us off the pitch – I know it’s difficult to do that and it’s actually difficult to accept your fans clapping you off after a 4-0 loss because you just want to get out of there and you feel so bad for them, but you have to give them all the credit in the world and we really appreciated it.”

Coleraine v Cliftonville
All-ticket
Adults: £12
Concessions: £8
Buy ticket online: Here