'Clinical' Crusaders see off 'abysmal' Portadown for boost in relegation battle
Crusaders celebrated a first league success since January 3 to climb off bottom spot in the top-flight table off a 4-0 defeat of Portadown that home manager Declan Caddell hailed thanks to a “clinical edge”.
The Premiership season’s penultimate match next serves up a road trip for Crusaders away to Glenavon next weekend, the latter now propping up the standings, across what will prove a crunch clash.
Goals by Kieran McKechnie and Elliot Dunlop – plus a Fraser Bryden brace – wrapped up victory over the Ports at Seaview.
"We carried on Tuesday's performance (1-1 draw with Bangor) into today and I thought one to 11 the boys were outstanding," said Caddell on BBC Sport NI. "Some of the play today was really good.
"We've been waiting on that.
"Fraser Bryden playing in a deeper role and he weighed in with two goals.
"It sets up nicely for next week."
In contrast, Ports boss Niall Currie described his players’ performance as “inexcusable”.
"Abysmal,” said Currie on BBC Sport NI. “Inexcusable really to a certain degree.
"Certain players were sitting on the beach already and I'm not having it and I told the players that.
"We've a few players coming out of contract and we have a few secured so I'm not having that.
"Too many players looked as if the season was over for them. If they're going to do that for us and the supporters, they'll do it at the next club.
"We started awfully, gave the ball away consistently in the first 20 minutes, I've never seen a worse start like it.
"We didn't track runs and didn't work hard enough and the bottom line is they worked harder than us and deserved it.
"If that's what we're going to get from certain players who are negotiating new contracts then it's not going to happen.
"I'm not accepting that because that tells me some people can pick and choose their games and that's not the case."