Crusaders new boy Chris Hegarty accepts Stephen Baxter’s men have a point to prove after last week’s dispiriting defeat to in-form Coleraine.
The Seaview men fell to their first league loss of the campaign with an error strewn display at the Ballycastle Road Showgrounds.
A Jordan Owens own goal and individual mistakes in windy conditions saw the North Belfast club tumble to a frustrating 4-2 defeat.
And while the Crues still lie top of the Danske Bank Premiership, Hegarty is eager they hit back at home to Glentoran on Saturday afternoon.
“We have to react,” he said. “You can only look at yourself after a game like that and maybe it can act as a bit of a wake-up call for us.
“It’s all about how you bounce back and hopefully last week’s defeat motivates us even further heading into this week.
“Glentoran at home is another massive game for us and we need to respond. We know we need to make things right.”
While Hegarty was on the score sheet at Coleraine, the 27-year-old - who joined the Crues from Dungannon Swifts in May - took little consolation from his third goal of the season.
Like any centre back caught in the eye of a defensive storm, the former Rangers and Linfield player was frustrated to ship four in the top-of-the-table tussle.
“I was very disappointed personally,” he said. “It was a mad, open game of football and we found the conditions difficult to deal with, especially in the first half.
“But credit to Coleraine, they dug in when they got their lead, defended really well and kept the ball out of the net more than us.”
Today’s date with the Glens - who have won four of their last five league outings - is the latest hurdle in a tough schedule for the Crues.
Baxter’s men face reigning champions Linfield at Seaview next Saturday before travelling to David Jeffrey’s Ballymena United on October 12.
Another date with Coleraine - the only remaining unbeaten club in the top flight - lies in wait at Seaview the following weekend.
“We can only look at the next game and no further,” insisted Hegarty. “We have to get back to basics, take it one game at a time and look to pick up points again.
“It’s a long season and there are a lot more points to play for. There are a lot of teams that will take points off each other, but we have to focus on this week’s game against the Glens.
“Prior to the Coleraine game, we had been on an unbeaten run of seven games in the league and we need to go on another winning run.”
While the Crues are looking to regroup, Glentoran know a win on the Shore Road would ease them to within two points of the summit.
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