Kevin Deery laments 'unforgiving' league as Institute fall to shock defeat

Deery's youthful squad - almost 80 per cent of them aged 20 or younger he pointed out - have been punching above their weight tussling at the top with the likes of Portadown and Dundela during the opening 18 matches of the campaign.

The 'Stute boss was under no illusions how tough the Championship can be having hit the bar twice in attempts to gain promotion during his last stint as manager and he was reminded of the unpredictable nature of it in the 3-1 loss to the Portadown based outfit.

It's never easy playing the same team twice in the space of four days but after the 1-1 draw at the BMG Arena on Tuesday night 'Stute were expected by most to return to winning ways back on home turf. However, whether it was the driving rain and 'almost gale-force winds' at Brandywell responsible for a lacklustre 'Stute display or if it was simply a bad day at the office, Annagh emerged worthy winners.

It's been a disappointing week for 'Stute who have earned just two points from a possible nine in their last three fixtures against beatable opposition but Deery anticipated bumps along the road and reminded onlookers Saturday's defeat was their first in six matches!

"We know what the Championship is about," reflected Deery. "We weren't coming into this game thinking we were a ‘cert’ so we have to own this as a bad day and look where we're coming from. We realise there will be blips in the road. It's our first defeat in six. The players will have to go and reflect as we will and try to come back stronger next week.

"It's definitely disappointing but this group has come a long way. We 'll get setbacks and it's disappointing because it's a home game and we lost 3-1 but you have to learn from that,"We didn't defend our box well enough so our sessions this week will be focused on trying to defend our box much better, keep sticking to our principles and attacking. Keep getting numbers into the box and trying to win games but you have to shut the door and defend like a man and we didn't do that today."

Deery was quick to add some realism and perspective to recent results. And it was just a pity substitute, Tiernan McKinney's stunning free-kick with basically the last kick of the game counted for nothing.

"We're only 18 games in. Portadown are everyone's favourites and they're only a point above us with the same games played so I would be more fixated on that side of things. They have a massive budget and have signed all the best players in the Championship and some who have come down from the Premiership. We've signed a lot of young players who have been very good up until a bad performance today but we're going to have a few of them."

Defensively it was certainly a disappointment as 'Stute conceded seven minutes into the match as Annagh striker Stephen Murray netted the first of his brace when he guided Jack Evan's cutback into the far corner

And the home lot shut off again moments into the second half when Evans bundled the ball into the net following a corner kick. It was a scrappy goal to concede and it irked the 'Stute management team.

"I thought our intent was there in the first half to be honest. I thought we were going for the game. We were right at them and got into good areas and got loads of numbers in the box and then the goal from the corner in the second half killed us when we went 2-0 down.

"They had something to hold onto. There's near enough a gale force wind blowing and the rain was coming down so it was difficult to gather momentum. They were going down for fouls and managed the game really well."It was awful timing [the opening two goals]. I'll never criticise my defenders for trying to play out from the back but it's the second phase we didn't defend properly for the first goal which was frustrating. There was a cross into the box and we were outnumbered in the box three to one and he got a run across our centre back and guided it into the corner. You have to be aggressive in your box. If you have a three v. one overload in your favour you can't let him score."The second goal was from a corner and it was so, so soft. That's all you can say, it was really soft. Myself, Mo [Mahon] and Niall [Grace] . . . we conceded a couple of corners against Welders and we worked on it and got personnel in but for whatever reason today they switched off and conceded a really sloppy second goal."They missed a penalty which I thought was a harsh penalty because there was no real contact and the player ran past Orrin [McLaughlin] and it went out for a corner. The referee delays it for 10 seconds and then gives it so it was strange and it was a strange game."I do find that in this league, it's a bit unforgiving. You don't have to be a really good footballing team to get points. You have to be bang at at. aggressive and hungry and match physically and win duels and you'll get points most of the time in this league. Unfortunately today we didn't do that. We lost duels and too many second balls."We were a wee bit one dimensional down the sides and coming back and starting over again so we need to learn how to manage games. But 70 or 80 percent of our squad is under 20 years of age or are 20 years of age. They have to learn."

They'll need a swift response as they travel to fourth placed Newington next Saturday but it's the type of game Deery is relishing and the Creggan man is expecting a reaction.

"We have a really tough game next week against Newington but no better venue. Up in Larne., it's a brilliant surface and we'll stick to our principles and try to play but we can't give away soft goals like that. We have to shut the door because those were awful goals we have away."