IRISH LEAGUE: Crusaders keep stride in their 'march for points'

The champions are edging closer to retaining the title once again and have now won eight of their last nine games in all competitions .

“The three points is all that was necessary. It doesn’t matter if we win 1-0, 4-0 or 8-0 - we are on the march for points,” said Baxter

“We had three very tough games, Glentoran away, Cliftonville at home and Glenavon away. I looked at those three fixtures and thought those are three tricky ties, but we have picked up nine points. I’ll take 1-0 wins all day if I can get them.

“It’s another game chalked off and that’s all we can do, concentrate on us and try and let other people look after their own game. We just need to concentrate on playing as well as we can and try and get the goals.

“In the second half our defending was excelled. Jonny Tuffey kicks a long ball down the centre of the pitch and our defenders dealt with it particularly well. They weren’t in behind us once in the game, I believe, and that was good from our point of view.”

Gary Hamilton felt his Glenavon team deserved a point from the game.

“I think it was an even enough game. If that one of ours goes in at half time then we go in 1-1 at the break and it becomes a bit more entertaining,” he said.

“I didn’t really think there was an awful lot in the game personally speaking. Defensively I thought we were sound against a very good front four but in the second half I don’t think we worked the goalkeeper enough, but on the flip side I don’t think they really did either.”