Tiptonready totakeover atPortadown
MATTHEW Tipton could be set to quit Warrenpoint and take up the hotseat at Portadown.
The Point boss (below) said last night’s “disaster” 5-0 defeat to Glentoran left him unhappy, and he hinted at an appetite for a new challenge.
“Portadown made an official approach to speak to me,” said Tipton. “The chairman has invited me to go and speak with them. Warrenpoint were aware before me, Portadown contacted them on Monday afternoon while I was coaching at a school and I got a call from the chairman to say they had been in touch and I said I’d be interested to hear what they have to say. I’ll meet with them and see if they still want me.”
Meanwhile, Linfield’s Premiership woes continued as they lost 2-0 at home to Glenavon.
Return: Charles Piutau
Following his side’s heavy loss at The Oval, Tipton added: “Obviously that result has disappointed me, it was a disaster and I’m not happy.
“A performance like that would not help either way. I’ve a job to do for one club, one way or the other.
“I will have to see what (Portadown) say and take it from there.”
Elsewhere, Ards won 1-0 at home to Ballymena United while Carrick celebrated a crucial 1-0 victory at home to Dungannon.
But Linfield warmed up for their Irish Cup quarter-final showdown at Cliftonville on Saturday with another poor performance against the Lurgan Blues.
A classy finish from Josh Daniels and Marc Griffin’s deflected strike secured a deserved victory.
But Blues boss David Healy backed his boys to come out fighting.
“It’s now a huge match for both teams,” said Healy, referring to the Irish Cup clash.
“I’m hugely disappointed with our performance — I am gobsmacked at how we can take a few strides forward and then perform so poorly.
“Now is not the right time to pick holes in individual performances. I’ll take that one on the chin.
“Hopefully we’ ll respond with a good training night on Thursday and take that into the cup tie on Saturday.
“I fully expect them to be behind each other. I’ll certainly stew over this latest disappointment, but Saturday is now the biggest game on our calendar so we have to be right for it.
“The players are aware of it and they have my full backing. It’s going to be make or break for both teams.”
Glenavon assistant coach Kris Lindsay admitted it was a comfortable night at the office for his boys.
“It was convincing from start to finish,” he beamed.
“We played really well. They put us under pressure for 10 or 15 minutes in the first half, but we limited them to half-chances. I don’t remember Johnny Tuffey having too much to do.
“Going forward, we played with pace and purpose.”