Portadown boss Niall Currie is looking forward to a “Supporters’ day” derby when his side host struggling Glenavon at Shamrock Park in the Sports Direct Irish Premiership.
The mid-Ulster derby will give the chance for fans to get behind their side at home after the Ports gave one of their best-ever performances last week in a 2-0 victory over Glentoran at the Oval, but manager Currie knows derbies can be difficult affairs to predict.
“We look forward to the mid-Ulster derby, we call it the supporters’ day as it is special for our fans,” he said.
“But we know it is going to be a really difficult game.
“The last time we met this season, they beat us at Mourneview Park 2-1. It was a very tight game and then they beat us in the cup too when both sides had a lot of changes,” he continued.
“They have plenty of quality players, but we have got momentum and we’ve got confidence and when we are in the right frame of mind and perform, we are a hard team to beat.”
With four wins and a draw in their last six outings, the Ports certainly have momentum on their side and whereas their eye-catching results all came at home earlier in the season, it was their last two wins away from home, against Ballymena United and Glentoran respectively that have grabbed the headlines.
Portadown won’t be able to call upon midfielder Shay McCartan on Saturday, who is suspended but they will be able to pick Josh Ukek. The former Bala Town player in the Welsh Premier Division has been outstanding for Currie’s side since his August arrival, with his attacking prowess down the left-hand side and through the middle has caused havoc throughout the Premiership’s defences and the manager is more than pleased with what he has brought to Shamrock Park.
“We though Josh has been so good we have just extended his stay at the club by another two years,” Currie explained.
“Shane Dolan is our recruitment officer in the Republic of Ireland (Ukek is Irish), we rely on him because we can’t compete in this market (Irish Premiership) and that is just being honest.
“Shane has delivered a couple of gems for us and hopefully another one in January.
“So that is an affordable market for us. Josh has come in and done really well in a short period of time.” he said.
“This is a good environment for people with raw talent to come into an Josh certainly has that.”
Neighbouring Glenavon are in a very different place. Having not won a game in seven outings, they are now languishing in 11th spot.
They will hope to be re-energised this week after manager Stephen McDonnell was released and former Cliftonville manager Paddy McLaughlin brought in swiftly as his replacement.
What McLaughlin will need to find is a goal source. The Lurgan Blues have failed to score in their last four games and that is unsustainable for a team with Premiership ambitions.
They will be hoping for a honeymoon bounce with a new man at the helm, but not surprisingly the bookies fancy a Portadown win, and I must agree.