'People have a perception of me' - Niall Currie with full faith in Portadown progress despite early pain

Hosting Bangor tonight at Shamrock Park ​offers his Ports the next opportunity for progress six days on from a 4-1 loss at the same venue to high-flying Coleraine that marked a fifth defeat from the opening seven Sports Direct Premiership tests.

Now in the early stages of a second season since top-flight promotion as Championship champions, Currie stands calm over the points return – defiant around his optimism towards future gains and drawing on past lessons.

"We've had a really tough start to the season,” said Currie. "We're coming into a run of games now...where we're expected – and our supporters will expect us – to start delivering.

“People have a perception of me probably and how I'm meant to play (but) last year we scored some of the best goals in the league, without a doubt.

"We've got to show that resilience from last season.

"Times in the season last year we lost three or four in a row...boys have got to stay cool.

"But I can't look at too many games this season and feel let down...they've given their all.

"We've created numerous opportunities against all the big boys."

Currie cites the absence of Shay McCartan, Rabby Tabu Minzamba and Josh Ukek as missing “that wee ‘X factor’”.

"Last year we came back and got draws out of games by staying in the first 20 minutes of a second half,” he said. "Then the last 15 minutes or so it becomes a basketball match...and we want a basketball match – when still in the game.

"We're missing that wee 'X factor' at the minute...it's quite simple but we've got to move on without a Shay, Rabby and Josh.

"But they're three huge losses, let's make no bones about it.

"We're playing Ben Wylie and Gary Thompson every game and it's been going on from the start of the season...they're not getting a break and running themselves to a standstill.

"We're not getting them off the pitch when we need to and that's down to circumstances.

"We're sitting in a situation we can't change these two guys...it has been very frustrating since the start of the season and we're hurting.

"I think we've been extremely unlucky to lose two midfielders the calibre of Rabby and Shay.

"We need that wee bit of that ruthlessness now...we're still a very competitive side in the Premierships but we're missing three or four of our big, big hitters.

"We need to get through that wee period, get the boys back and have a full squad to choose from…

"But, in the meantime, we've enough to win football matches."

Although sitting with only Crusaders having conceded more goals than the Ports, Currie retains full confidence in his defensive strength.

"We're hurting in midfield and we're hurting in attacking options,” he said. "I would put my backline up against anybody any day of the week.

"We'll create chances here on Friday night against Bangor but what we need is to get 90 minutes out of it.

"We're not going to get down...we've got plenty in the tank to bounce back."