'That’s the demands we’re going to put on him' - Jim Magilton confident there's more to come from Cliftonville star after netting first Premiership goal in nearly two years

Gordon spent 18 months with reigning Irish League champions Larne before departing for Solitude in January as part of a deal which seen Chris Gallagher move in the opposite direction.

The 26-year-old racked up 12 league appearances for the Reds and was introduced as a late substitute in their historic Irish Cup final triumph over Linfield, but could be set to make an even more significant impact in North Belfast this term having started all four competitive matches to date, including both legs in the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round defeat to Latvian outfit FK Auda.

Gordon’s well-timed surge into Glenavon’s box was found by a pinpoint cross from Ronan Doherty as the ex-Motherwell midfielder doubled his side’s lead after Joe Gormley’s opener, and Magilton wants him to see even more.

"He has goals in him and has that energy from midfield – we just have to give him the confidence to go and do that,” he said ahead of tonight’s home clash with Dungannon Swifts. “With the players that we have in the team he has the licence and the structure means he has freedom.

"He reacted brilliantly off a fantastic Ronan Doherty cross and it was a brilliant finish and a great goal. We are expecting more. Shea has done well...the Shea Gordon I remember runs from midfield and gets goals – that’s the demands we’re going to put on him.”

Cliftonville announced the signing of 18-year-old striker Ryan Markey on Saturday evening and Destiny Ojo made his Cliftonville debut in the weekend win, but Magilton admits the club will be working up until the final moments of the transfer window to strengthen their squad.

"We’ll be working right up until the window closes,” he added. “We want to get more bodies in that will improve the squad.

"I thought Axel (Piesold) played really well when he came on. It’s not an easy place to come but he showed composure and is a really talented footballer and we’re going to put more demands on him.”

Despite making a perfect start to the new Premiership campaign, Magilton has called on his players to raise their levels with bumper clashes against rivals Crusaders, Glentoran, Coleraine, Linfield and Larne before the end of September.

"That’s the whole ethos of what we’re about and I want and demand better,” he said. “The players should demand it of themselves and they will.

"I know we’re in game two, but I don’t care...we have to be better with the ball and in terms of ‘all hands to the pump’ scenarios at the end of games.

"I'm nitpicking because it’s the minute details...when we scored the first we gave it away immediately, after we scored the second we gave away possession needlessly. That just encourages the opposition. We gave away the ball needlessly for their goal. That’s something we have to snap out.

"I’m very hard on them...they’re sitting in there thinking ‘didn’t we win the game?’ – yeah we did and I’m delighted because this is a difficult place to come, but my expectations are high and the standard needs to get better.”