David Jeffrey clear Portadown 'building slowly but surely' after last-gasp Cliftonville win

Following on from a maiden season win at home to Limavady United and drawing against high-flying Glentoran, Jack Scott’s strike in the dying seconds ensured Jeffrey’s men sealed maximum points at Solitude.

Summer signing Ben Kennedy had put the Ports ahead with his third league goal for the club, but that effort was cancelled out by Brian Healy.

Substitute Scott produced the decisive moment, firing home a winner in the third minute of second half injury time.

"I’m delighted,” Jeffrey told NIFL TV. “It was a tough, tough night, we knew it was going to be.

"If truth be told, in terms of our attacking play, it was mainly counter-attacking because Cliftonville are a very good team with the ball, their play in possession, the way they move it about, their passing, is first-class.

"That’s down to the tremendous work of Jim Magilton and Gerard Lyttle...we knew what we were coming to face.

"We got ourselves a goal ahead which was great, it was the first time we went in at half-time a goal to the good and with a clean sheet.

"But we knew we were going to face an onslaught in the second half and their goal was similar to ours.

"Cliftonville really dominated after that and put us under considerable pressure, but we dug deep, players were throwing bodies on the line, and I was pleased with how we responded.

"We got back into it. We simply changed players because people were running out of energy, running out of legs, but I keep telling the players, it is not about the 11 who start, it’s about the 18 on any given night and the importance of substitutes.

"Jack Scott deserves an immense amount of credit. He wins the ball in his half and ends up in the opposition six-yard box to score a wonderful header.”

The Ports have now moved two points clear of basement club Bangor, who drew 0-0 with Dungannon Swifts earlier on Saturday afternoon.

With a host of summer arrivals and departures at Shamrock Park, Jeffrey insists it was always going to take time for Portadown to hit their stride.

"They work very hard during the week and I have asked them to play as they train,” added Jeffrey. “They did that, they gave everything.

"When you give that level of commitment, resilience and hard work, you get a good result like this.

"We’ve been building slowly but surely. We did fantastically well against Glentoran, when truthfully we should have taken three points.

"We know what we’re capable of doing, but people need to remember, we brought eight or nine players and it takes time to gel and understand.”