Players deserve credit: Magilton

Jim Magilton admits he’d rather have points than plaudits but felt it was important to acknowledge the performance that Cliftonville produced in yesterday’s narrow defeat at Coleraine.

Despite a promising start, the Reds fell behind to Matthew Shevlin’s 13th minute strike but could have been level almost immediately only for Brian Healy’s swirling long-range attempt to cannon back off the post.

Healy also called home keeper Lewis Web into action during a first-half that saw the visitors threaten courtesy of a number of corner deliveries from Dean McMaster, who was inches away from levelling with a wonderful volleyed effort after the break.

Amid high winds that saw a PJ Morrison kick out drop just inches over the Coleraine crossbar, McMaster’s clever free-kick drew a save from the alert Webb, who also turned a blistering Rory Hale drive over the top ahead of Shaun Leppard clipping the woodwork from the resulting corner.

Despite defeat, Magilton was encouraged by his players’ approach.

“Conditions were tough for both teams,” he said.

“I thought we competed really, really well. It was a sloppy goal, a poor goal, but we created good opportunities and just didn’t take them. On another day, once you take them, you have a platform to go and play from.

“Coming up here against the League leaders, I thought we presented ourselves, I thought we showed lots of character and the players deserve immense credit.

“It was difficult out there. In the second-half, we were camped in their half and we didn’t have enough opportunities but but both keepers were limited.

“Delighted with it, but obviously extremely disappointed with the result.

“At this stage, points are all that matters but the players deserve credit. They’ve come up here, they’ve rolled up their sleeves and shown us and our supporters that wearing that shirt is very important to them. Character shows itself and presents itself at difficult times.”