CLIFTONVILLE manager Jim Magilton is adamant that his side cannot become intimidated with their recent run of results.
The Reds have suffered four league defeats on the spin and visit table-toppers Coleraine on Saturday (3pm kick-off).
Magilton believes that this is when the true character of players and the team will shine through and felt it was evident in their weekend defeat to Ballymena United.
“We can’t become intimidated by that [losing four games in a row],” Magilton insisted. “We have to stand up, these are the moments where the true character of players shine through and that is exactly what we do, that’s what we have done in the past and that is exactly what we have to do now.
“The players have to come in, got ready to work with a big game and the true character and personality of players have to shine through in moments like this.
“No football career or life comes through on the highs, it is a rollercoaster. It’s the highs and lows, but it is always about the character of the players and character of the team."
Magilton is confident that experienced players such as Rory Hale and Joe Gormley can step up and show their leadership during this testing run.
“They have a massive role within this football club anyway, but in moments like this where it tests you, you have to keep going,” he reflected.
Reflecting on their weekend defeat, Magilton didn’t feel there was any nastiness in the game even though referee Steven Gregg issued nine yellow cards and a red to Paul Stanfield, adding that Brian Healy should have been awarded a late penalty.
“Nine yellows and one red in a game where you are thinking that if you are an outsider looking in you are thinking that was a tasty affair. No, there wasn’t any of that really,” Magilton insisted.
And speaking about the decision at the end, he said: “It is a penalty and it has robbed us of at least a point, depending if we score the penalty or not.
“It’s a booking then or it’s simulation. He got that all wrong. On a day where Rhyss hits the post, another day it goes in and Brian should score and you go in 2-0 up and then you’re seeing the game out and managing the game.
“At the minute, we’re not and unfortunately we conceded a really poor goal. The sequence of events that led to the goal was poor. We got punished and then we had to go chasing it.
“Listen, they showed courage and bravery and that is the very least they have to show when they show up and play for Cliftonville."
Magilton further backed youngster Paul Stanfield to bounce back from the disappointment of being dismissed in his first league start.
“He is a fantastic lad, he deserved the opportunity to play,” he acknowledged.
“He has been suspended for so long, that is just his second or third competitive game. We trust the boy and have high hopes for him. He had done so well up until that point – it was just a poor decision on the stroke of half-time.
“Again, we were in full control of the game in terms of we had the ball and then I think Joel Thompson has kicked it away needlessly, and then they regrouped, go long and played off the second ball, he lunged in, his feet were high and could he [Steven Gregg] have not given it? Possibly, but he decided he was going to give him a yellow and ultimately a red card”.
Cliftonville travel to take on Coleraine this weekend at 3pm on Saturday afternoon.
