Sports Direct Irish Premiership: Crusaders 2 Cliftonville 0
CLIFTONVILLE manager Jim Magilton says they can’t rely on Joe Gormley for goals and that other players need to chip in to help ease the burden on the club’s record goal-scorer.
After losing the festive derby to Crusaders, the Reds boss also admitted they’ll need to move a few players on in next month’s transfer window to free up some cash to compete in the transfer window.
“We’d love to do a bit of business but I’m not sure there is much money, so we just have to do what we do at the moment,” said Magilton, who was hugely disappointed with his side’s first half showing at Seaview.
“I think before we do anything a few will have to go to free up any cash to compete in the transfer market.”
A “mad spell” just after half-time saw Cliftonville lose this St Stephen’s Day joust with neighbours Crusaders, as Kieran Offord bagged both goals for the home side in the 46th and 50th minutes.
A poor pass from Harry Wilson in the opening seconds of the second half gifted Jordan Stewart possession, and the former Linfield trickster unleashed a piledriver that came back off the Cliftonville crossbar.
Whether Stewart’s shot bounced over the line was immaterial as Offord, on a year-long loan from St Mirren, tapped the rebound into an empty net.
Four minutes later and with the visitors reeling, the 20-year-old striker doubled Crusaders’ lead with a glancing header after a brilliant Stewart cross from the left wing.
The north Belfast derby was settled in that decisive four-minute spell which eases the pressure on rookie Crusaders coach Declan Caddell who ended a three-match losing streak coming into the game.
Cliftonville are still in fifth spot despite clocking up three on the bounce.
“Our quality and decision-making were poor in the first half and then that mad spell where we gave the ball away cheaply,” said Magilton.
“They capitalised on it, they score, so you regroup and then they score again and ultimately it took us to go 2-0 down before we decided that this is a big game, and that we had to do more. And we did show a bit more intensity in our play.
“At least we asked a few more questions of them but overall it was disappointing.”
He added: “We were so static, everybody wanted to play standing football and Crusaders were able to defend their box very well with the great experience they have in their team.”
Rory Hale and 54th minute substitute Ronan Doherty both went close for the visitors and while the Reds tested the home side’s resolve, the Crues threatened to add to their two-goal advantage on the counter.
In what was effectively a mid-table clash between two neighbours both trying to manage difficult transition phases than launch title bids, the north Belfast derby is a fixture that has lost some of its pizzazz from the days in which they were jockeying for top spot.
Both team-sheets had their fair share of loanees and rookie players which was a sure sign the quality in the league is migrating to other, more lucrative destinations – namely Linfield, Larne, Glentoran and Coleraine.
Still, both Crusaders and Cliftonville had at least one game-changer apiece in their starting line-ups.
Rory Hale looked the most likely source for the visitors to fashion an opportunity in the opening half while Crusaders had the impudent Jordan Stewart – both worth their weight in gold to their respective teams.
Magilton, though, was entitled to demand more from his squad and not leave the burden on veteran striker Joe Gormley to get the goals.
“We’re trying very, very hard,” said the Reds manager.
“Joe has had a great season but we can’t be so reliant on him; others have to chip in – and that comes from midfield players, attacking wide players.
“Taylor Steven needs to do more and we’re encouraging our young players to go and play because we think they’re good enough. But it’s a huge onus on young players to keep coming on and make massive differences in games. But we need to find goals.”
Crusaders: J Tuffey, M Smith (R Weir 76), J O’Rourke, J Callacher, D Larmour, H Jewett-White (J Williamson 91), J Forsyth, P Lowry (L Barr 76), R Clarke, K Offord (J Owens 90), J Stewart (S Nixon 52)
Cliftonville: L Ridd, S Kearney, M Glynn, J Addis, M Newbury, A Piesold (C Madden (85), H Wilson (R Doherty 54), R Hale, T Steven (R Corrigan 54), J Gormley, R Curran (R Markey 81)
Referee: T Clarke