Beginning to think that Linfield should have saved some of the eleven goals they scored against PSNI four days previously, as they endured a frustrating afternoon, having to settle for a point at Shamrock Park.
Even though Linfield had won on their last five visits to Portadown, four of those victories had been by one goal, including a come from behind win in September.
Linfield had a lot of early possession but the best they could offer was a speculative long ranger shot from Niall Quinn.
From where I was sat, behind the other goal, I thought it was going in, jumping up to celebrate and making myself look very silly.
Jordan Stewart was next to be frustrated. Not once, but twice.
First with a header denied by a save from close range, then he burst through on goal only to be denied by Portadown’s keeper making himself big and blocking the shot.
It wasn’t all one way traffic, with Portadown having enough time in Linfield’s defensive third to show they couldn’t be discounted as an attacking force.
0-0 at half-time but no need to panic, especially with Linfield attacking their own fans. They did need to step it up.
Step it up they did, being camped in Portadown’s defensive third, but all it brought was a flurry of corners.
Those corners were easily cleared by Portadown though, Linfield couldn’t take advantage of them. You got the feeling that the only way that Linfield would get a goal would be from a moment of inspiration from one of their own players, or a moment of stupidity from a Portadown player.
The way the game had been going, neither of those two scenarios was looking likely.
Matt Green got on the end of a cross but the ball agonisingly went across the goal while Jordan Stewart had a low shot cleared off the line.
Such was Linfield’s frustration in front of goal, it was even more important not to concede, especially with Portadown killing and stalling the game at every available opportunity.
In search of a winner, Billy Chadwick came on for Matt Green, or “Billy Hat-Trick” as somebody behind me dubbed him after his treble against the PSNI. Just one would have done.
I was wondering why Martin Donnelly wasn’t introduced. Turns out he wasn’t on the bench. Injured, I presume.
Linfield could have done with something different. Even though it hasn’t happened for Ahmed Salam (That’s being kind), it might have been worth throwing him on in the final minutes.
It looked Christy Manzinga was going to win it for Linfield, just as he did in September, when he hooked an effort just wide from a corner.
In injury time, he tried a repeat of his winning goal in September, but this time fired over when a pass to the right was a better option. It would have went in in September, but now he’s hit a bit of a dry spell in front of goal, it was only ever going over.
So late in the game, Linfield fans knew it would be their last attack, and so it proved as Portadown held on for a 0-0 draw.
A frustrating day. Linfield had so much of the ball but couldn’t do much with it.
It got even worse when other results were digested, with wins for Glentoran, Larne and Cliftonville.
Cliftonville are six points ahead of Linfield but have played a game more. They are due at Windsor Park in mid November so that can change very quickly.
Before that, a visit to Seaview.
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