Declan Caddell feels Crusaders 'on the right track' with full faith 'we'll push forward'

On their two previous visits to Taylors Avenue, Crusaders had conceded 10 goals, losing 6-1 and 4-0 respectively, but departed with a valuable point on this occasion after Harry Jewitt-White struck in the first half.

His effort was cancelled out by Danny Gibson just moments after the break – the Carrick striker moving joint-top of the Premiership’s individual goal charts alongside Matthew Shevlin with his eighth of the season.

Having only picked up six points across eight away matches prior to Friday’s fixture, Caddell was content to bank a positive result – but is now searching for a complete 90-minute showing from his side.

"Every team that comes up here will find it extremely difficult,” Caddell told the club’s media channel. "For them to leave everything on the pitch, as a manager, that's all I want...and they did it for the club, they did it for the fans.

"It shows you how far they've come...the last two times here - beat 6-1 and 4-0 – you're hoping to learn from those experiences and it showed that they have and they're on the right track.

"As a manager, regardless of the football and the tactics and whatever, they have to leave everything on the pitch, and when I walked into the changing room after the game...four or five boys lying on the floor, drained, exhausted.

"Points are precious in this league, as we know from last year, so any opportunity to get a point, whether it's one or three, we've got to take it with both hands and move forward in the next game.

"I expect that the rest of the season, if the players give that commitment, that desire, that throwing everything on the line to get a result...we'll be fine this season and we'll push forward.

"So that's the bare minimum, that's the non-negotiables...I expect that from the boys week in, week out.

"But then you're looking at that wee bit of quality added on, that's what wins you games.”