Tired Ports undone by Jenkins double

Fuad Sule turned in a Man of the Match performance

Portadown manager Niall Currie will welcome the New Year in with an opportunity to bring in fresh legs following a ‘tired’ performance against Glentoran on Monday evening. Currie lamented a lack of energy and creativity in his side as they succumbed to a second straight defeat, “I thought we looked tired tonight; I thought our players looked fatigued, tonight and we looked like a part-time team.”

On another night of strong winds both sides had a battle against the elements in the first half with play being scrappy in the opening exchanges. The only real threat to either goal was first minute free kick to the visitors which was fired wide from the angle of the box and a dangerous cross from Jenkins after eighteen minutes that was turned behind by Ray. In the twenty-third minute Glentoran took the lead, when a ball from deep inside the Portadown half by Suledropped over the shoulder of Altintop and Jenkins took two steps and fired the ball past Ray from the edge of the box.On thirty-seven minutes a corner for the home side dropped to Obhakhan six yards out and as he fell backwards his overhead kick was somehow scooped over the bar. Five minutes from the break there was panic in the Ports defence when Ray made a dash outside the box but completely missed the ball and as it dropped to Jenkins he was bundled over by Chapman.Portadown came out in the second half with much more purpose and urgency. McCartan and Wylie were having much more time on the ball and a smart move saw McCartan set up McCullough but his shot was just wide of target. It all kicked off in the fifty-seventh minute when Wylie picked up a yellow for a foul on Amos, resulting in a melee which involved almost every player on the field. Referee stepped aside to view the proceedings with the result that further yellow cards were flashed to Lyons-Foster and Palmer of Glentoran. Just as the Ports looked to have gained a foothold all the good work wasundone on 66 minutes when MacKinnon dragged down Amos in the box and Jenkins doubled the visitors lead from the spot.The visitors from then on in managed the play and comfortably mopped any further Portadown forages forward. Ports boss Currie pinpointed the penalty kick given away just as his side were enjoying a rival in the game, “Small things matter in games and we were just getting into the game at the start of the second half and we gave away a penalty. Unfortunately, that was the pin in the balloon moment and the Glens managed the game really well after that.”Portadown: Ray, Altintop, McCullough, MacKinnon, Chapman, Mayse(Ukek), Fyfe, Wylie, Obhakhan(McElroy), McCartan, Thompson(Henderson). Unused Subs; Wright, Redman, McElroy, Traynor, RileyGlentoran: Mills, Lyons- Foster, Hvid, Sule, Palmer, Russell, Fisher(Lindsay), Amos, Singlet