Jim wants to Carri momentum

Jim Magilton has urged Cliftonville’s players to build on what they’re good at ahead of tomorrow’s Sports Direct Premiership trip to Carrick Rangers.

Seven weeks on from their last visit to Taylors Avenue, the Reds return to the east Antrim venue on the back of a confidence-boosting midweek win over Linfield in the County Antrim Shield and Magilton wants his men to use Tuesday’s success as a platform to perform this weekend.

“This is a massive game for us,” he says.

“It’s not that long since we last played in Carrick and we know all the trials and tribulations that a game down there brings, but we’ve got to go there and go again.

“I’m the first to recognise that our standards have not been where they should be and that we haven’t played particularly well in games but when you play Linfield in a Cup competition and win the game, it’s a massive plus.

“When you go through a little spell, everybody’s chomping at the bit and the one thing about our reign here is that consistency in decisions, in our messaging, in our squad and even our formation is no secret. We’ve been really careful not to send mixed messages and that’s an important aspect of this. Within games, we’ve managed to change things because of the versatility of the players and that’s a feather in their cap, so that will continue, but we do need to really hole down into what we’re good at. Tuesday was a representation of what these players can produce against a top quality side.

“Once players step over the white line, it always rests on them having the courage to go and play. They had that on Tuesday and, for us, it’s about reinforcing messages, telling them on a nightly basis when we’re speaking to the players that it’s always about having the confidence to go and play, having no fear and having that tenacity with and without the ball.”

Carrick Rangers v Cliftonville
Saturday, October 25
Cash turnstiles available
Adults: £15
Concessions: £10
Two Adults & Two Under-16s: £40
One Adult & Three Under-16s: £36
One Adult & Two Under-16s: £28
Tickets: General Sale