CLIFTONVILLE boss Jim Magilton will be hoping for vast defensive improvements from his players on their previous two showings.
The Reds make the trip to to face newly promoted Limavady United on Saturday (3pm kick-off).
Paul Owens' Roesiders tasted victory over Bangor in their last home encounter coming off the back of a victory at Seaview against Crusaders, but lost out 1-0 to top of the table Coleraine in their North-West derby at the weekend.
Magilton will be demanding more aggression from his squad, especially in defence where he was critical of the concession of goals in their recent encounters against Larne and Glentoran.
“That was a real reminder, it was the same 45 minutes against Larne,” Magilton reflected after the weekend's defeat to Glentoran.
“We weren’t aggressive enough. We lacked that aggression all over the pitch at times. Yeah, we played some decent stuff, but the fundamentals of the game is to defend both boxes,
“For the first goal, Ollie [Samuels] screamed. It is a lack of confidence from Shaun Leppard. Shaun hasn’t played an awful lot this year, but Ollie has screamed at him, Shaun has headed it and then Kyle McClelland gets beaten by a 5 '10 midfield player- it should never happen, overall really disappointed with the result”.
Although Magilton felt that goalkeeper PJ Morrison was impeded in the build up to Jordan Jenkins' winner, he expected him to get back to his feet quicker and didn’t feel they got enough first contact to loose possession.
“I think it might have been a foul,” admitted Magilton.
“I’m not a big thing with goalkeepers, I think they are overly protected - but I definitely think it was a foul- but he [PJ Morrison] has got to get up.
“It hit off him and ricocheted. Again, they [Glentoran] won first contact a lot of the time in our box. Our centre halves didn’t want to head it, and as a result when balls are bouncing around you’ve got to get first to the ball.
“Set-pieces are so important in the game, defensively and offensively and I thought they won every header, especially late on. We didn’t get anywhere near first contact and games can be decided on set-pieces as I have outlined many, many times and especially now in the modern game”.
As well as the defensive frailties that were exposed, Magilton was also frustrated that Ben Quinn missed a gilt-edged chance to give his side the lead and also rued him not squaring the ball in the build-up..
“Ben Quinn should score, but Ben Quinn should square it to Rhyss Campbell for a tap in” he recalled.
“Because he didn’t score, Ben Quinn is not in my good books. Dean [McMaster] is an outstanding player. He works so hard too, he is quality on the ball but he must be tearing his hair out too.
“I can’t have any positives. It is so sensitive. I just don’t like how we defended, Yeah we had moments, but not acceptable at all”.
In the lead up to last weekend's clash Magilton was linked with the vacant Glentoran job, but he insisted that his focus didn’t differ any.
“Its no different, absolutely no different,” Magilton explained.
“I was totally focused on the job, totally focused on trying to get a result, very determined to get a result as I am, it wouldn't matter who we play against.
"It says a lot for the project of winning a game of football, that’s what it says”.
