PORT Glasgow will tomorrow make a FOURTH attempt this season to play their away match at Newmains.
Bad weather scuppered the original date last December, and the fixture was postponed a further twice in the past two months.
But it looks set to go ahead on Saturday, and although they are near the end of their season, it is still a meaningful game for the Port.
Three points would maintain their interest in the promotion race, where it’s still too tight to call.
Rossvale are going up as Second Division champions, but no fewer than six clubs can still stake a claim for one of the two remaining promotion places.
Port Glasgow are outsiders in the chase, though, and Glasgow Perthshire’s win over Rossvale last Saturday hasn’t helped the Parklea men’s cause.
But all they can do is keep winning and maintain the pressure on the others, and a repeat of last week’s scintillating 6-0 win over Vale of Leven would do nicely.
Newmains look certain to finish bottom in the league table, but tomorrow’s game has taken on some significance for them, too, after a new manager took over this week. Experienced gaffer John Fallon junior was appointed on Monday and takes charge for the first time tomorrow, so his squad may be looking to impress.
But the Port should be too strong for them, especially if the likes of Dylan McLaughlin and Jamie McKenna can come even close to repeating their scoring exploits of last Saturday, when they bagged all six goals between them. Twenty-year-old McLaughlin made the step up to the juniors from Port Glasgow Under-21s, but has also had some outings with Largs Thistle, for whom he scored a few times.
He told the Tele: “It’s certainly a big step-up from the 21s to the juniors, where there is generally a better quality of player.
“But I am really enjoying it and I was delighted with getting the opening goal against the Vale last week, taking the ball down and putting the chance away.
“If we can continue to play like we did then, we will definitely be in with a chance of getting one of those promotion spots.” In team news, keeper Robbie Graham hasn’t recovered from the groin strain which saw him have to be substituted last week, but Bryan Tucker is back to fitness and will take over in goal.
And striker Scott Nugent, out injured for the past six weeks, is also back in contention for tomorrow, as is midfielder Colin Stevenson, who has been signed this week after a couple of appearances as a trialist.
Port boss Craig Brown said: “Colin is a good player, but he has had his problems with injuries. But he has shown up well in training, and he is a good signing for us.” Meanwhile, there was another change on the managerial front this week, with the resignation of former Port Glasgow boss Brian Heron and his assistant George Wall from the dug-out at Maryhill.
The Lochburn Park side have certainly not had a bad season, and currently lie fifth in the Central First Division table, with a chance of going for promotion, making the duo’s departures all the more surprising.
Kick-off for Newmains v Port Glasgow at Victoria Park is at 2pm.
Port Glasgow Juniors are sponsored by Regents Vehicle Sales, Greenock, and MAC HSL Ltd.
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