Portadown boss Niall Currie blasts side after 'humiliating' Linfield defeat

An Eetu Vertainen hat-trick, Joel Cooper brace and late Chris McKee goal helped the visitors ease to victory, with Patrick McNally’s header on the stroke of half-time the only consolation on a dismal afternoon for the Ports.

A mix of defensive errors and Linfield ruthlessness resulted in Portadown’s 21st – and heaviest – defeat of the season and leaves them 12 points adrift of 11th-placed Dungannon Swifts.

It was the manner of how they conceded each goal that enraged boss Currie, who described all six as ‘shockers’.

"It's simple as this: goals change games,” he said. “The goals we’re conceding are amateur.

"(Vertainen) has walked into our box twice today without anybody picking him up.

“I've said to them many times that the ball doesn't hurt you - it's the guy standing free as a bird that's going to hurt you, but we don't pick people up, we don't scan, we don't have spatial awareness and that's going to be a big Achilles heel... and I think it has been for a while.

"I can only feel for the supporters... I'm a Portadown man myself and it's humiliating and embarrassing for me, so they are bound to feel the same way.”

Portadown’s season ultimately won’t be defined by games against title challengers like Linfield, but Currie expects much more and bemoaned the lack of character his team showed.

"I knew walking into this job that it was a massively difficult one, but we have to get characters into the changing room,” he added. "We don't talk enough or help each other out enough on the pitch. That's why we need characters, leadership and guys who aren't going to be afraid to dig guys out.

"I watched Jamie Mulgrew today (for Linfield). I heard him going through Joel Cooper for a shortcut and we don't have that.

"Every team needs that. That's a proper leader and he has been so successful because he demands more from people around him."

Currie has a couple of days to bring in personnel to try and help rectify some of those issues but admits it isn’t easy.

"We're shopping in a different market,” he said. "Not a lot of players want to come in the situation we're in and any that do it's about money or 18-month contracts.

“It's very difficult, we'll keep trying and hopefully people will still realise what a big club this is. Playing for this club should matter and that's the big disappointment today.”

PORTADOWN: Ba rr, Wilson (Stedman, 83), Balde, Russell (Jordan, 80), McKeown (Walker, 80), Chapman, McNally, Rodgers, McCawl (Teggert, 70), Friel (Igiehon, 70), McElroy.

Subs ( not used): Upton, Moorhouse.

L INFIELD: J ohns, Roscoe, Newberry, Millar (A.Clarke, 7 6), Cooper, McDaid (McKee, 84), M.Clarke, Finlayson, Mulgrew (Quinn, 84), Vertainen (Hayga rth, 76), Palmer (Pepper, 35).

Subs (not used): Hall, Devine.