NIFL Premiership 

Portadown 2-0 Cliftonville 

CLIFTONVILLE missed the chance to wrap up seventh place and a playoff spot after going down 2-0 to Portadown at Shamrock Park on Saturday afternoon. 

Eamon Fyfe shot the hosts into an early lead and a stunning Josh Ukek strike early in the second half secured a second 2-0 win at home for the Ports in the fixture this season, much to the frustration of Reds boss Jim Magilton, who felt his team lacked several qualities. 

“That was equally as poor [as the defeat in December],” Magilton admitted. 

“It was as poor a performance as we produced probably away from home. There were moments, but not enough. 

“We didn't have the intensity in our game, we lacked purpose, we lacked real desire to go and play to the conditions. 

“I felt there was only one team that wanted to win the game, one or two of our lads were kind of a way had an eye on what might be and for some of them, it won't be - that is the bottom line.”

Magilton continued to rotate his squad with five changes to the team that defeated Glenavon last weekend. 

Alex Ridd returned in goal, with Stephen McGuinness, Arran Pettifer, Eric McWoods and Ryan Corrifan also coming into the starting XI. 

Portadown made a dream start and took the lead inside of two minutes when Josh Ukek slipped the ball to Eamon Fyfe at the edge of the box and his low shot squirmed underneath Lewis Ridd and into the net to make it 1-0. 

Alex Parsons had two half chances to equalise after Aaron McCarey came out of the edge of the box to clear, the Aussie lifted the ball towards goal and Lee Chapman cleared his initial attempt, before he curled a further opportunity wide. 

Reds keeper Lewis Ridd was able to breathe a huge sigh of relief when his 11th-minute clearance hit Josh Ukek and the post on its way behind. 

On the quarter hour mark, a vital clearance from Lee Chapman denied in-form Eric McWoods and Cliftonville striker was again denied approaching the half hour mark when a long Stephen McGuinness punt picked him out, but McCarey got down and held on. 

The hosts could have doubled their lead when Paul McElory was slipped in, but his shot was deflected over the bar. 

Goalscorer Fyfe then tried to cut the ball back for Josh Ukek and Odhran Casey was forced to hook the ball behind at the expense of a corner. 

Cliftonville missed their best opportunity to get back on terms before the break after McWoods ran onto a long ball and drew out McCarey, he squared the ball back for Arran Pettifer, whose shot was blocked by Chapman, as Fyfe’s goal was the difference at the interval. 

Jim Magilton introduced Rory Hale at the break and Reds skipper almost made an instant impact with a snapshot from the corner of the box that cannoned off the underside of the bar. 

It was a chance that Cliftonville would come back to rue as Portadown doubled their lead in the 55th minute after Josh Ukek’s driven shot from 30 yards arrowed into the net. 

On the hour mark, substitute Rory Donnelly saw his shot take a deflection and go behind for a corner off Aaron Traynor, whilst Portadown quickly turned defence to attack from the resulting set-piece and James Teelan shot straight at Ridd. 

With a quarter of an hour remaining Donnelly slipped in Joe Gormley, but Aaron McCarey smothered Gormley’s low shot across the face of goal and they were unable to force a consolation as Portadown maintained their outside hopes of clinching 7th place themselves- but they will need local rivals Loughgall to defeat Clftonville and ensure they beat Ballymena United to leapfrog the Solitude outfit. 

PORTADOWN: McCarey, Chapman, McElroy (Obhakhan 74’), McCullough, Fyfe, Ukek (Monterio 87’), Traynor, Teelan, Minzamba (McCawl 74’), McCartan, Isamala. 

CLIFTONVILLE: Ridd, Addis, Casey, McGuinness (Glynn 64’), Lowe, Pepper, Pettifer (Hale 46’), Stewart, Parsons (Madden 56’), McWoods (Donnelly 56’), Corrigan (Gormley 56’). 

REFEREE: Jamie Robinson