Sports Direct Premiership
Crusaders 1 Cliftonville 1
CRUSADERS and Cliftonville could not be separated at Seaview on Saturday and both managers felt the 1-1 draw was a fair reflection on the north Belfast derby.
Atoning for a miss from 12 yards against Portadown, Ryan Curran scored from the penalty spot on 32 minutes to give Cliftonville the lead.
Lewis Barr fouled Joe Gormley just inside the box and referee Tony Clarke showed no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
But Crusaders responded two minutes later to level through Kieran Offord, his third since joining the Crues on loan from St Mirren.
Both sides had further opportunities in a tense encounter but neither could find that elusive breakthrough to claim the bragging rights.
The result means the neighbouring clubs are still unbeaten, though Cliftonville now trail Linfield by two points with 10 points from four games.
Crusaders, whose game against Larne was postponed, are in third place in the Sports Direct Premiership with seven points.
Reds boss Jim Magilton had no doubts about the penalty decision and had few grumbles about the outcome.
“I think it was rash, and it was inside the box”, declared the former Ipswich Town manager.
“He (Barr) showed aggression, but I think Joe just nicked it in front of him and Ryan Curran – having missed a penalty – stepped up, showed great courage and tucked it away.
“And then we conceded so quickly afterwards, which doesn’t give you a foothold in the game and it gives Crusaders, at Seaview, a bit of a lift.
“You look at Crusaders’ attacking strength, I liked them a lot yesterday, I thought they were very good.
“Offord’s movement, Harry Franklin, Jordan Stewart, very creative so David (Odumosu) had to be at his brilliant best, and he was.
“I thought we started the second half pretty well but overall it is a fair result.
“At times it was a bit of a basketball match, and if Declan and I were to be critical it would be because the ball got turned over a lot at times, but always with the intent to score a goal.
“Had we been more clinical in our passing and in the final third – a bit like Crusaders – that final ball is what makes the difference in these tight games.
“We talked before about being clinical and on the day that let us down a little bit.
“We’re not unhappy. You walk away and you think about the opportunities that came our way and could we have finished them off.
“On another day you might well do, I’m sure Declan feels the same way and that’s why I think it was honours even.
“We saw glimpses, real glimpses, but I thought a draw was a fair result.”
This was a first North Belfast derby for Crusaders manager Declan Caddell in his new role, having experienced the highs and lows of this fixture many times as a player.
It’s a new era for the Shore Road club following Stephen Baxter’s decision to step down after 19 years in charge.
Caddell moved quickly to bring in young players from outside the league, Jacob Blaney, Harry Franklin, Harry Jewitt-White and goalscorer Offord, plus Jordan Stewart after his contract with Linfield expired.
He too had few complaints about the result, says he is heartened by his team’s start to the new season but reveals he did not set a goal of points to aim for from games against Glentoran, Ballymena and Cliftonville.
“I never, ever set targets”, said the former midfield general. “For me it’s literally managing one game at a time.
“In hindsight, would I have been happy with seven points from our first three games? Of course I would.
“You’re trying to bed in new players who are coming up against teams they don’t know much about, so coming out with seven points, you have to be happy.
“I think Jim and I will feel the same about the match.
“First half, we had opportunities, they had opportunities and the longer the game goes on, you have it in the back of your head, ‘would you settle for a point?’
“Both teams had opportunities to win it in the game but we’ll take the point and move on.”
Caddell chose not to dwell on the penalty decision that led to Cliftonville taking the lead, preferring instead to praise his own goalscorer.
“Kieran has bundles of energy, loads of endeavour, he’s direct, wants to cause problems and I think in the last three games we’ve seen defences struggle with him a little bit.
“That’s only through work-rate and attitude.
“We’re delighted to have Kieran here and he probably could have had two or three yesterday.
“There’s no point talking about it (the penalty decision).
“The referee is there to do a job, he gave the penalty, we move on.”
