Double despair for Glens

TWO superb second-half goals from Portadown left Glentoran hoping for a 'double' miracle.

After last week's semi-final Cup win over Linfield, the Glens needed to win this game to keep their league hopes alive too.

But it was only after the final score came through from Windsor Park that they looked like a title-chasing side.

And despite a spirited late show, they lost to a Portadown side on a promise of a sunshine holiday if they finish runners-up.

Second-half goals from Colm Tresson and Vinny Arkins gave the hosts a well deserved win.

After a scrappy first-half, Tresson blasted home in the 49th minute after Richard Clark and Robert Casey made the opening.

Arkins finished off a Peter Hutton cross with the last kick of the game.

Glentoran threw everything at the Ports in a desperate bid to stay in the title hunt, but Ports keeper Tim Dalton was in superb form and made a string of brilliant saves.

The home side, with young Clark outstanding, were always in control.

But neither team took any honour from a boring first half, and Glentoran were so lethargic that 31 minutes had elapsed before Dalton touched the ball.

It was a different story in the second period as the Glens piled on the pressure.

But Ports boss Ronnie McFall said: "We deserved our win.

"If we hadn't given away so many silly goals in earlier games we would have been challenging for the title."

Glens boss Roy Coyle hardly has to tell his players they now have a mountain to climb.

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