PORTADOWN boss Niall Currie watched his side’s hopes of an immediate return to the top flight suffer a hammer blow in a shock 4-0 defeat to Newington at Shamrock Park on Tuesday night before vowing to battle back into the PlayR-Fit Championship title race.
A Darren Stuart hat-trick did the damage for the north Belfast side, two of those goals coming in the first half to make it 2-0 at the break. Ruaidhrí Donnelly made it 3-0 to the Swans in the 71st minute before Stuart completed his superb treble four minutes later.
The Ports are in third place, seven points behind leaders Dundela who have a game in hand. Bangor are two points ahead of Portadown.
Currie said: “I apologise to our supporters. Well done to Newington, but you just can’t afford to gift teams a two-goal start. We will try to bounce back at Ballinamallard on Saturday.”
RESULT
Portadown 0 Newington 4
FIXTURES
Friday, February 23: Bangor v Ballyclare Comrades (7.45pm); Annagh v Dundela (8pm)
Saturday, February 24 (3pm): Ards v H&W Welders; Ballinamallard v Portadown; Institute v Newington; Knockbreda v Dergview