Hopes high for Portadown growth despite Glentoran defeat

Tipton agreed that eight points is not a good return from the opening 10 games but, based on the latest performance, he reckons there are good days up ahead.

They did suffer a horrendous start - in fact, they found themselves two goals down in the opening 12 minutes.

Paddy McClean darted forward to meet a free-kick from Hrvoje Plum and his effort looped over the outstretched glove of Ben Pierce.

And, minutes later, Plum’s fierce cross was palmed out by Pierce for Jay Donnelly to convert.

It appeared to be a damage limitation exercise at that stage, but the gutsy Ports dug in and threw bodies on the line to prevent further damage.

They were thrown an unexpected lifeline 10 minutes from time when substitute Adam Salley spun on to a Oisin Conaty corner which was knocked down by defender Adam McCallum and his close-range drive bulged the net.

That was as good as it got for the Ports, but Tipton took a lot of heart from the overall performance.

“I honestly think we can grow on this performance,” he said. “I don’t like losing, but I know I have something to build on, especially if we can develop a little bit more belief in ourselves.

“We started slowly, I think it was a case of stage fright, I don’t want to use the word naivety because that would be unfair on the boys.

“But we were a little bit like a rabbit in the headlights for the first 20 minutes or so.

“It was probably a little bit of inexperience at this level and not embracing the situation.

“It’s a young squad and I make no apologies for that and I think we can grow together.

“This is a Portadown team that has just been promoted after spending three years in the Championship.

“The name itself probably carries a lot of weight.

“I know Glentoran became a little bit jittery when we scored, but being totally honest, I think they managed the game well.

“The standard in this league has certainly improved - have we adjusted to it? Probably not.

“We have only eight points on board, we want to be better than that.

“But there is a long way to go...there are 28 games left, I think there is still a lot to come from us.

“If we can get a little bit of experience, in terms of the boys playing more or if we can bring in a player of better quality, I don’t think we are too far away from where I see us possibily being at the end of the season.

Glentoran head coach Mick McDermott admitted his boys were victims of their own downfall in front of goal.

“Some of our football was outstanding,” he said. “We created six or seven good chances in the first half, but apart from the goals, we didn’t do enough.

“Hrvoje’s deliveries were right on the money and the goals we got were good.

“I knew Portadown would regroup at half-time, I told the boys to expect a bit of a surge.

“We still created chances, but there was a spell when they came at us and they got a bit of belief from it.

“There are moments in games that turn the tide.

“We had a clear penalty shout turned away and the corner-kick awarded for their goal wasn’t even over the line - that’s not an excuse, we needed to manage the second half a lot better.

“Overall, I was happy with the points.”