Niller touch

Cliftonville Strollers 0-0 Super Nova

There were no goals to report on a rainswept night at Solitude as Cliftonville Strollers’ UEFA Youth League tie with Super Nova remains delicately poised ahead of next month’s return leg in Latvia.

The Wee Reds – boasting six players who have already made their senior bows for the Club – were given a few scares by their visitors in the first-half but assumed greater control of proceedings after the interval, with Keevan Hawthorne coming closest to breaking the deadlock.

After just two minutes, goalkeeper Matthew Belshaw made a fine save to turn an effort from Daniels Zeps over the bar before Ilja Strelcovs and Georgijs Bombans threatened.

After an offside flag halted Cillian Murray in a promising position, the Strollers saw both Fintan McArdle and Alfie Anderson go close before the first period ended with Belshaw keeping out Alens Grikovs’ attempt.

Cliftonville stepped things up in the second-half and, following a shot from Hawthorne, captain Paul Stanfield tried his luck ahead and Anderson sent a sweeping strike wide ahead of the Reds’ clearest opening of the night coming when some tidy play on the edge of a crowded penalty area ended with Hawthorne working just enough room for himself only to send his low drive straight at goalkeeper Toms Petrovics.

As the hosts went in search of a late goal, injury-time saw Padai O’Kane shoot off target before a fierce blast across the face of goal from David Green found no takers inside the box, ensuring the contest will resume goalless when the sides renew rivalries in Riga.

Cliftonville Strollers: Belshaw, Green, Cassidy, Stanfield (Rooney, 90 mins), Moore, Connolly, Hawthorne, Anderson (Skillen, 84 mins), O’Kane, Murray (Kelly, 74 mins), McArdle. Unused subs: McInerney, Haughey, Beasley, Fitzsimons, Meighan, Stiobhard.