Ports are getting to grips with top tier, says Tipton
PORTADOWN boss Matthew Tipton believes his team is growing to the demands of the Danske Bank Premiership.
The County Armagh boys may be hovering around the basement zone — ahead of Dungannon Swifts and Carrick Rangers on goal difference — but they don’t intend to hang about for too long.
Although they have won only twice in 17 starts, Tipton’s youthful side have taken points off a posse of the league’s big hitters, including Larne, Coleraine, Crusaders and Cliftonville.
Having had their last two outings postponed, against Dungannon Swifts and Larne because of the weather, the Ports will look to register their first league win since December 8 when they entertain David Jeffrey’s Ballymena United at Shamrock Park today.
Tipton insists he’s satisfied with what he has seen so far, but there is room for improvement.
“It’s been a strange season, I don’t think any team has really settled into the season because we have had so many stoppages,” he said. “We had a few decent draws in there as we played all the top six teams.
“It’s been stop-start. I would have liked to have judged us on a normal season and how we would have reacted. Am I pleased? Probably not because I would have liked to have been at the top end of the table.
“In saying that, it’s probably unrealistic to ask a newly-promoted team to be up there. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive to do that. I’m satisfied with what we are doing and how the players are performing, and basically the way they have reacted to a lot of setbacks.”
Tipton reckons the fixture congestion — due to the Covid pandemic and the horrible weather — hasn’t helped
He added: “The fixtures are crazy. Teams are playing each other quite quickly. We go to Coleraine on Tuesday night and it doesn’t seem all that long ago when we were up there.
“We’ve Ballymena first up and, after Coleraine, we’ve Glenavon twice and then Ballymena again. It’s a strange situation, but we’ve just got to get on with it. I suppose everyone can have their individual gripes.
“It looks more likely that we’ll see out the 38-game season. The games are going to be crammed in, we are preparing to play Saturday-tuesday for the rest of the season. I don’t see any reason why the campaign can’t be completed. We are coming into the better weather and we are being (Covid) tested. So, we should get a clear run from now.
“I see the IFA are now planning to host the Irish Cup as well. It will be interesting to see how that will all pan out.”
Apart from Greg Hall and George Tipton, the Ports boss has a full panel reporting today.
“Greg is still missing, he was sent off against Glentoran in our last game. George is also out because of the concussion protocol as he took a bang to the head in the same game. Apart from that, everyone else is well,” he said.
“I know Ballymena will be busting a gut to get a win. They have lost five games, but they were all by a one-goal margin.
“I know David Jeffrey and he’ll put putting his team on the park to get a win.”