Niall Currie proud of performance despite Portadown conceding late equaliser at Ballymena
Portadown boss Niall Currie was full of praise for his side’s efforts despite only leaving the Ballymena Showgrounds with a share of the spoils.
The Ports looked like having away day joy when Eamon Fyfe kept his cool to dispatch an 84th minute penalty.
However, they were punished for hesitancy at the back as Jack O’Reilly pounced to bag an equaliser for the Sky Blues.
When asked to sum-up his post-match views, Currie told Ports TV: “Well, we're hugely disappointed, obviously.
“I felt the boys were very, very good today. Great response from the last couple of games. The bottom line is we deserved to win the game today.
“I don't think anybody would deny that...we have played a huge part in the game today and we're very, very proud of the players.
“The performance today was brilliant. The application was brilliant. We won our first ball, second balls, won our individual battles over the pitch.
“We had by far the best chances in the game to put them to bed and, unfortunately, we just couldn't get over the line but these things happen in football.”
Portadown are in the midst of a crisis in terms of personnel missing due to injury or suspension but Currie was full of credit for those who took to the pitch.
“People will talk about Divin’s mistake and stuff like that there but he was brilliant today,” he added.
“Him and Baris (Alintop) were outstanding. We've Adhamh Towe, a midfielder, playing at right back today, who had a brilliant performance.
“Rabbi (Minzamba) come in today and was excellent in the middle of the park with Josh Carson. Shane McCartan, excellent.
“We had all players with sevens and eights today, didn't we?
"I think when you see how the game manifested and seeing the clear-cut chances that we had in the game to put them away, I think that's the big disappointment. You know, in hindsight, hindsight's always a wonderful, wonderful thing.
“But I think in hindsight, when you look back at that game, you know, that's a three-pointer. But, listen, mistakes happen in football matches.
“Every footballer makes mistakes and we are certainly a collective.”