Port need Brownie points for promotion rescue bid
PORT Glasgow manager Craig Brown is hoping his side can get their promotion bid back on track this afternoon with a win over struggling Newmains United.
Brown’s side currently sit second in the Central District Second Division, occupying one of three promotion spots.
However, two back-to-back defeats have allowed the likes of Vale of Leven and Carluke Rovers to cut the gap between themselves and Port Glasgow.
Brown admits his side need to get back to winning ways as soon as possible but insists doing so against Newmains may not be as easy as people think.
He said: “We had a very good start to the season which put us in the promotion mix going into the new year.
“But as of late, we just haven’t been getting the type of results we would like. We haven’t been playing bad necessarily, we have just had too many individual errors.
“For us to get promoted this season we need to start winning games again, so today’s match is a must win for us.
“However, it won’t be an easy game. I know Newmains are bottom of the table but I think they have been really unlucky at times this season.
“We know they are a hard side to play against, especially at home, so we are under no illusions that for us to get the win we will need to perform to the best of our abilities.”
Newmains boss Kevin Muirhead admits getting a result this afternoon is a big ask, but says his side believes they can pull off an upset. He said: “Today’s game is going to be a very tough one, Port Glasgow have had a very good season so far.
“But as ever we’ll be up for the challenge and I know my players will believe that they can go out and beat Port Glasgow.
“It won’t be easy for us to get a result against them, however, I think we can take advantage of the fact their favourites.
“We know all the pressure will be on them so if we can go out and make life difficult for them then we may just be able to pull off an unexpected upset.”
NEWMAINS currently sit bottom of the Central District Second Division, having only picked up four points from 12 games this season.
This fact may have some managers worrying about their job safety, however, that’s not the case for the Victoria Park gaffer.
Kevin Muirhead revealed that he has been under no pressure this season due to the fact he had to rebuild the squad from the ground up.
He said: “We know we are going to finish around the bottom of the table this season, which is to be expected given what we had to go through in the summer.
“When I left Hamilton to take over at Newmains my main job was to bring in a whole new team as there were only four players under contract at that time. Doing so was a major task so it was made clear to me very early on by the chairman Bill Carrigan that there was no pressure on me this season.
“Hearing that was great as it allowed me to focus on bring in the right players and getting them to jell as a team.
“Going forward I know this club will do well, we just have to put the building blocks in place first and that’s what we have started to do this season.”