Crusaders have the chance to erase two defeats in a row on Saturday (3pm) when Portadown come to play in the latest fixture of the Sports Direct Premiership. Portadown though will have their own ideas as they start to build momentum in their first season back in Premiership. in a few years. It has all the makings of end to end football and an exciting game.
With a training session on Thursday to get rid of the defeat against Dungannon Swifts out of the system the plan is in place for Portadown coming to Seaview. There is no negativity around the team as they prepare for Saturdays game and as manager Declan Caddell said “we just need to make sure we are ready for it” The management team may mix the starting XI up after a tough game against Dungannon Swifts meaning fresh legs but again the lads who took the field on Tuesday night did not play badly and had just some bad luck in front of goals. With that in mind the same eleven may take the field and have another go and this time good luck with it.
Portadown are unbeaten in five games after two opening losses and are quickly finding their feet in the top division. They are also gaining a reputation of being late scorers having salvaged two of their draws in the dying seconds of games against Linfield and Coleraine respectively. Niall Currie has his side settled and they are playing football he promised they would. Portadown made a lot of signings over the close season and they have some great premiership experience between them that will stand them in good stead. If selected Crusaders will come up against ex Crusaders players Gary Thompson and Paul McElroy.
As always as we do every week we are calling everyone to come out and back Declan and the team at Seaview. You can do so by buying tickets in one of three places. You can buy at www.crusaderfc.com , in Harry D's or from the ticket office in the McDonald Centre from 1.30pm to kick off. Get the colours on and get the voices ready. You are the 12th man and we need your backing to get back to winning ways. C'mon the Crues.