IRVINE Meadow assistant manager Kevin Deeney insists Thursday night’s 4-2 loss to rivals Kilwinning Rangers didn’t concern him.

Though the manner in which they are losing goals, having now conceded 15 in their last five matches, is beginning to become a worry.

The last game of 2022 saw the home side, Buffs, race into a 4-0 lead with first half goals from Jordan Stuart and Mark Lamont before Ben Lewis and Dylan Mackin added to the tally in the second half.

Each of Kilwinning’s goals came from outside the 18-yard box.

Medda showed brief signs that a comeback may be on, as Callum Graham’s penalty and a Ross Urquhart strike gave them hope with 15 minutes left.

But as Deeney told the Times, from 4-0 down, they had a “mountain to climb”.

The assistant boss added: “We restricted them to shots outside the box, shots that were 20-25 yards out and were hitting off the post and going in.

“It just felt like everything they hit was going in.

“See if they were one on ones and they were making loads of chances inside the box – I’d be more concerned but that doesn’t mean I’m happy about the goals and the manner we conceded them.

“When you don’t pick up those second balls you leave yourself open to getting picked off like that.

“There was a lack of desire to get close to them, we were too far off them and they’re too good a side to be off them.”

While as 2022 draws to a close, Deeney also wished to look forward, rather than dwell too much on the past, as he set out Medda’s aims for the rest of the season in 2023.

He told the Times: “When we came in our aim was to secure our position in the league – that doesn’t change.

“Obviously we want to push as high up the league as we can because it’s better for the club and gives us momentum to build into next season.

“I don’t think we’re in a relegation battle, if we won last night we’d have gone second, that’s just how up and down the league is.

“Sometimes we’ve just got to win ugly – get our foot in games, see them out and be a bit more streetwise.”