NIFL Premiership

Cliftonville 1–0 Crusaders  

NOT for the first time in his distinguished career, Joe Gormley settled the North Belfast derby as his first-half strike saw Cliftonville take the bragging rights for the first time this season with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Crusaders at Solitude on Friday evening. 

The Reds just shaded the opening half with Gormley making their pressure count in what was a game of two halves, with Crusaders unable to hit back in a dominant last half hour under the Solitude lights. 

After a tricky spell from late September to mid-October that saw Cliftonville suffer three league defeats and a County Antrim Shield exit, they are now unbeaten in four with three straight wins.

Manager Jim Magilton acknowledged that they made it difficult for themselves at times but was pleased with their three points. 

“I’m really pleased with how we approached the game and really pleased with how we went about trying to win the game,” Magilton reflected. 

“Going in 1-0 can always be very cautious because of the quality of their group. We nullified a lot of their threats, albeit they still caused us problems in the first half. 

“I thought we brought it onto ourselves and even at the start of the second half, we had real opportunities to kill the game and we didn’t. 

“The quality that they possessed, and Declan made great substitutions to try and get back into the game. It felt like all hands to the pump, which it was. We had to show real courage and resilience and keep the ball out of their net mentality and I think that we showed that. 

“I’m delighted with the three points and delighted with what we showed, but the lesson from that is kill the game when we are well on top.”

Gormley finishes to the net
2Gallery

Gormley finishes to the net

Magilton made one enforced change from the XI that defeated league-leaders Linfield at Windsor Park last time out. Conor Pepper dropped out through suspension and Ryan Curran was drafted in. 

Crusaders were first to threaten through ace marksman Kieran Offord, but his shot lacked the power to trouble David Odumosu. 

Jonny Tuffey was the first keeper to be called into action after Micheál Glynn’s cross evaded Joe Gormley and landed to Taylor Steven at the back post, but Tuffey made himself big and blocked the Scottish youngster's shot.  

Tuffey was then equal to Ronan Doherty’s curling free kick after Michael Newberry was chopped down and turned a Rory Hale effort over the bar moments after. 

At the other end, Robbie Weir clipped in a cross and Jordan Forsythe’s downward header was held by Odumosu. 

Joe Gormley would flash a shot over before the half-hour mark and in the aftermath, Crusaders had their best spell in the half. 

A corner from Ross Clarke was partially cleared and Harry Jewitt-White hooked a shot over. Seconds later, Michael Newberry charged down a goal-bound Forsythe effort and Forsythe then lopped a further shot onto the roof of the net- all chances coming in a three-minute period. 

The deadlock was broken before the break and it fell to the hosts in the 39th minute. David Odumosu played the ball out from the back and after exchanging passes with Shea Kearney, Newberry found Pettifer. His neat backheel allowed Kearney to charge forward and spray a pass into the path of Joe Gormley to steer home with the outside of his boot. 

It was Gormley’s 12th league goal in the fixture and would prove the difference at the interval. 

Cliftonville should have doubled their lead after the break when Taylor Steven dropped a cross to the back post, where Micheál Glynn pounced and Tuffey turned his shot behind at the expense of a corner. 

Another opportunity went a-begging before the hour mark as Gormley cut back for Ryan Curran whose shot was blocked and Taylor Steven’s follow-up effort whistled past the post via a deflection off Lewis Barr. 

The Crues upped the ante thereafter and it was a backs-to-the-wall job for the Reds in the remaining half an hour. 

Jordan Forsythe shot into the side netting from Jewitt-White’s pass and then substitute Jordan Stewart floated in a cross that Forsythe glanced wide. 

Philip Lowry zipped a snapshot past the post and Jacob Blaney then hooked wide after a long throw into the box was half-cleared. 

The chances continued to fall with Jordan Stewart flashing a low effort past the post and in the closing stages, his cross was too close to Odumosu who gathered and cut out the danger. 

In the end, Gormley’s goal would prove the winner as Cliftonville moved clear of their North Belfast neighbours and into second place in the table. 

CLIFTONVILLE: Odumosu, Kearney, Newberry, Addis, Glynn, Steven (Conlon 69’), Doherty, Pettifer (Piesold 81’), Hale (Corrigan 90+4’), Curran (Donnelly 81’), Gormley. 

CRUSADERS: Tuffey, Callacher, Weir, Jewitt-White (Lowry 61’), Blaney, Forsythe (Owens 80’), O’Rourke, Offord, Clarke (Stewart 61’), Franklin (Nixon 79’), Barr. 

REFEREE: Ben McMaster