WHAT THE MANAGER SAID: Cliftonville's Jim Magilton with post-match reaction to UEFA Conference League loss for Irish League side against Auda
Cliftonville’s home leg at Solitude against FK Auda of Latvia finished in defeat by 2-1 on Wednesday across the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round.
Here is what manager Jim Magilton had to say about the 2-1 loss for Cliftonville at Solitude:
AUDA GOALS...
"The two goals that we conceded - no matter what level - are bad goals, really bad goals.
"In a game where those margins are very, very tight it can't happen.
"Set-piece...can't happen, then it's basically a 3 v 1...can't happen."
He added: "Even the first goal...I felt we were growing in the game, then we get a jolt then we get back into it.
"Half-time we emphasised the positives, where we could exploit weaknesses in their team, especially when they had the ball and we could nick the ball and play on the counter-attack, which you have to do at times.
"So (2-0) was a really disappointing goal, really poor decisions that cost us.
"With our three centre-backs for the second goal, as much as I thought they were good, I can't get my head around how he scores from there."
OVERALL PERFORMANCE...
“Organisationally I thought we were very, very good - shape of the team...excellent, we worked so, so hard.
"Overall, even our fitness levels were excellent.
"We didn't create many opportunities but I always felt we were in the game."
He added: "Other than that (two goals against), we were very competitive and, in terms of where we are in our season, I was extremely happy with them.
"I think we can show more courage...when we did I thought we passed the ball well against a side bang in their season.
"So lots of positives."
SECOND-LEG HOPES...
"We felt we are a threat from set-pieces with the quality we have and I felt, having watched them, we had an opportunity with set-pieces and I felt we had opportunities if we crossed in good areas.
"With the right sort of quality we could've hurt them a little bit more than we did.
"I think it's just where we are at, at the minute, in terms of us and their levels...but in terms of effort and energy and what they gave you couldn't ask for any more from them."
He added: "Probably the result against Larne (7-0 loss on aggregate by Latvia's RFS against the defending Irish League champions) I think that gave them lots of confidence coming into this game.
"But I think that we definitely did enough to cast doubt.
"Is it enough? We'll see.
"We are going to have to show the same energy reserves that we did and we have to be slightly more brave.
"We just have to be us with the ball.”
INDIVIDUAL POSITIVES…
“Getting Ryan Curran back on the pitch is just huge and in such a competitive game for an hour...fantastic.
"He's a massive positive for us.
"Ryan Corrigan gets an opportunity to play his first taste of European football for the club.
"So those are the things that we'll take from it, we'll pick the bones and be ready for the next one."