LIAM Boyce insists Cliftonville won’t rest on their laurels when they renew rivalries with Kalmar FF next week.
The Reds will travel to Sweden for the second leg of their Europa League first qualifying round tie holstering a narrow 1-0 lead following Thursday night’s heroics at Solitude.
Boyce came off the bench to hammer home a 70th-minute winner to give the Irish Premiership underdogs their first European victory at the North Belfast venue.
It also gives Tommy Breslin’s side every chance of progressing to the second stage.
Northern Ireland striker Boyce insists Cliftonville cannot afford to sit back and defend their slender lead when they travel to Sweden next week.
“I think if we go there and defend then we will be asking for trouble,” Boyce said.
“We have to try and be positive and play the same way we played at Solitude, and if we can sneak a goal then Kalmar will require three which is a big ask for them.
“So we have to be positive and try and take the game to Kalmar.
“I think they were a little defensive at Solitude. They didn’t know much about us and they were probably trying to check us out.
“Thankfully we got a positive result but it is only half-time in the tie and we still have a lot of hard work to come.”
Boyce admits he is relishing the start of the domestic season on August 11.
The striker – enjoying his second spell at Solitude following a brief stint with German Bundesliga club Werder Bremen – believes Cliftonville can make their mark on the Premiership landscape.
“We finished third last season and we obviously want to try and better that,” he said.
“But we will just take it one game at a time. We have plenty of quality in the squad and Tommy has added during the summer.
“Hopefully we can do well in Europe and then kick-on when the Premiership campaign starts in August.”
There are high hopes that Boyce can hit top form for the Reds next season, but the self-effacing international striker insists the team “always comes first”.
He added: “I am looking forward to the season ahead, but it is all about the team doing well, not individuals.
“There are plenty of strikers at the club and Tommy has a lot of options. I have a big job trying to get into the team so I have to continue working hard and see where it takes me.”
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