Portadown boss Niall Currie finished frustrated at closing the pre-split Premiership fixture list with a scoreless draw against bottom side Crusaders.

The Ports’ push to chase down seventh-placed Carrick Rangers suffered a blow – with Currie’s men now trailing by seven points entering the final five fixtures.

Here’s the verdict of Portadown boss Niall Currie:

OVERALL PERFORMANCE...

placeholder image — Portadown manager Niall Currie. (Photo by David Maginnis/Pacemaker Press)

"I just thought it had a dead rubber feel about it.

"We'd told all the boys the importance of the game today. "You know, for me, a win today changes everything in regards to looking to catch Carrick Rangers and that's the thought process.

"But I think, ultimately, you've got to put in better performances.

"Our best players on the pitch today...our goalkeeper, two centre-backs and two full-backs.

"Midfield was non-existent, didn't pick up first or second ball.

"Two wide men, non-existent...

"I changed us really trying to go for it...took our two sixes off in Rabby (Minzamba) and Lukey (Wilson), sat Gary (Thompson) in a six and Jack Scott in an eight then Ben Quinn in a 10 to try and get more of the ball.

"But I've come away disappointed with our performance today, there's no doubt about that. "We should be in the ascendancy there and trying to push and make something happen. "But, unfortunately, our quality wasn't good enough.

"We were reactive to all set-pieces, didn't get on the front foot, didn't pick up first or second ball.

"I'm a great believer in the middle of the park...it's a huge, huge engine room for any football team. "And if you're not picking up first or second ball in the middle of the park, you're going to be in for a difficult afternoon.

"I don't think we picked up first or second ball throughout the whole game, which is the disappointment.

"Didn't get the ball wide enough either, never got crosses in the box.”

STORY OF THE MATCH: Portadown 0 Crusaders 0 – Crues move back off the bottom tha...

POST-SPLIT TARGETS...

"We've got to do more, we've got to look at ourselves and do more.

"So I'm disappointed.

"But listen, a point is a point. "I think we had everything to play for and, to me, I'm not too sure everybody realised how important the game was today, which baffles me, if I'm being honest.

"Because it's something we talked long before the game about, the opportunity that we have to close that gap on Carrick.

"Now, with that result today, everything's just getting more congested.

"It's about who turns up whenever it's needed and, to me, we're capable of winning all the games.

"But we'll not win many games playing like that that we did today.

"They're 50-50 games...so it's up to us to certainly get the heads down and understand that we need to go and put in a strong finish this season for our supporters as well because we've only one home league game left.

"So it's very important that we get a wee bit of momentum going and give a wee lift to make sure whenever we play our last game here at Shamrock that there's a good atmosphere and there's a good crowd here to cheer us on."