CLIFTONVILLE boss Paddy McLaughlin believes their weekend break will come at a good time for his squad, after suffering from an illness issue over the past week.

McLaughlin was forced to pick three centre-backs on the bench for the weekend trip to Newry and feels that a break in league action this week will do his side the world of good, ahead of the league resumption on good Friday against Coleraine.

“There is a lot of sickness in the camp,” McLaughlin revealed after the game.

“All clubs are seeing the same thing as we’re having. There is a lot of sickness going around and a bit of a flu bug around the camp. I saw a few clubs report it over the last couple of weeks and ours is at the minute.

“Our bench today, we’d players missing and three centre halves on the bench- which we never would have had but it was all we had available. A couple of days rest and recovery for the players will do them the world of good.

“They need it as they’ve worked their socks off up until this point and they deserve a couple of days off with no game on Saturday, but when they come back, they’ll be back to work and back knowing that they’ve five massive games coming up. It’s full steam ahead from here on in.”

Saturday’s 2-1 win against Newry was the Solitude side’s first of the month and McLaughlin credited his players' attitude for bouncing back from their defeat against Dungannon Swifts and ignoring the noise from the outside.

“There was a bit of criticism during the week, the usual noise that you hear every time that you lose points or lose a game or a bad performance - it’s the usual people making the same noise,” he stressed. 

“The players don’t focus on that at all. They came here knowing that last week was last week, it’s gone and in the bin. This week was a new week and another opportunity to get three points and they done that. Full credit to them.

“They don’t take on the criticism at all, they just concentrate on each week as it comes and each game as it comes and give it their all. Up until this point now, it has done really well for us.

“We’ve five games to go, five massive games and four at home and you never know what could happen between now and then. It’s important that we gather as many points as we can and try to stay in contention for the European places.”

Saturday’s victory saw the Reds close into within seven points of league leaders Larne and two points behind second place Linfield with five games remaining.

McLaughlin isn’t expecting a late title charge and insists the sole focus is trying to overtake Linfield and secure European football.

“It [Europe] is a realistic target for us,” McLaughlin acknowledged.

“There is no point in saying that we are going to do this and do that. The European places are open for the top six and I think it is important that all points that we gather between now and then could be vital.

“All sides in the top six have an eye on European football and it is realistic for us all. That’s what we’re targeting. I know Larne will be disappointed to drop points, but you can’t see them dropping too many more.

“I think it is important that we try to stay in touch with Linfield for as best as we can and hopefully pip them for second place, hopefully even third place.

“Third place might open the door to a European place depending on who wins the cup. That is realistic and if anything, else happens then we will take it because it is not something we are planning. We’re only targeting European football.”