RUAIDHRI Higgins says it’s important that the Bannsiders are “right at it” as they face Carrick Rangers this afternoon…

The two teams square off for the second time this season at The Showgrounds after the Stripes came from behind to seal a 2-1 win against Carrick back in September.

Higgins says he and his staff watched Carrick’s narrow defeat to Linfield last weekend and knows the squad at Stephen Baxter’s disposal are more than capable of posing their difficulties.

“A really tough game,” answered Higgins when asked about what he expects this afternoon.

“It’s interesting when you watch the Linfield game from last week, obviously Gerard Boyle was at it.

“We’ve watched it back and for large periods they were the better team and had a lot of opportunities.

“They’ve got really threatening attacking players – we know that.

“From what we’ve faced this season I feel they’re probably in a false position. You look at some of the attacking players…they have the experience and they have league winners everywhere.

“We have to be right at it. I actually think they’re a good side. If we’re not on it and if we don’t play to our strengths, then it could be a long afternoon.

“We had a brilliant win away to Crusaders last week to get back to winning ways, so fingers crossed we can continue that.”

Coleraine will certainly be without defender Kodi Lyons-Foster after he was injured in Tuesday night’s victory against Moyola Park.

Higgins says he expects the Englishman to be absent for the foreseeable future.

“We got really bad news on Kodi,” he explained.

“Kodi’s first half of the season here has had some niggly injuries and issues – but this is quite a bad one.

“I don’t want to put a time frame on it but it’s certainly not good news for the club.

“It’s months rather than weeks which is obviously disappointing.

“But competition is rife for places…we’re in a really busy period and we’re coming into a really busy period as well.

“So we need everyone chomping at the bit and that’s why it was key that everyone got game time on Tuesday night.”

Supporters can get tickets for today’s game HERE.