Portadown U17’s began their cup campaign with a very impressive opening 20 minutes against Randalstown.  Having started with some excellent high tempo play Portadown were executing their game plan to perfection and after only 5 mins great play from the pack released the backs who moved the ball wide where winger Jordan Blakely beat two defenders before touching down under the posts. In the absence of a regular kicker, due to holidays, a kicking contest at training, gave the honours to prop forward Jordan Fiddes who slotted over the conversion with ease.

 After the kick off Portadown’s domination resumed with effective pick and drive plays paying off and the back line penetrating the Randalstown defence piling on constant pressure. It was from good close quarter play from the pack that released the backs on 15 mins and the ball was worked wide to winger Jordan Blakely once again who showed the opposition a clean pair of heals to score his second. A much harder conversion this time was only narrowly missed. 12-0 After the restart more Portadown pressure resulted in a penalty on the halfway line and a super kick into the corner created a great attacking line out from with a catch and drive gave the always impressive Luke Montgomery the easy task of touching down in the corner. The touchline conversion, daunting for any seasoned kicker was made look ease by prop Jordan Fiddes who split the uprights dead centre giving the home side a very commanding 19-0 lead.

Having played text book rugby for 20 mins and conducted the game plan to the letter it’s a mystery to the coaches why the team decided that a different approach would prove more fruitful and that single isolated runners might produce more scores -however that’s exactly what they proceeded to do and no more scores came in the first half.
There were very few positives to take from the second half and a harsh lesson to be learnt, namely that if your game plan is working then don’t change it. Portadown struggled to show any sign of the continuity they had shown in the first 20 mins and allowed Randalstown back into a game which had been so one sided.

 On the back foot now, Portadown’s defence was sucked into the breakdown and when the ball came free they were outnumbered in the backs and Randalstown ran in a good score under the posts which was converted, narrowing the score to 19-7. There was no sign now of the unity within the Portadown team and 4 changes were made to try and bond the team again. Randalstown now with their tails up were proving a much tougher opposition and their pressure produced another score with the conversion missed leaving a 19-12 scoreline in Portadown’s favour

This was the last play and the long post-mortem could begin however it was a win in the cup and the result was ultimately more important than the display. However Coaches David Mc Master & Ian Cooke now have to impress upon the team the importance of discipline and sticking to the game plan because there will be a lot harder matches in store .With several key players due to return there’s surely better to come.
 Team: J. Fiddes, S. Coll, M. Davison, R. Stevenson, J. Herron, A. McAlinden, S. Lyness, L. Montgomery, D. Leckey, J. White, K. Anderson, T. Reid, M. Beale, J. Blakely, D. Conn. Subs L. Pearson, G. Liggett, K. Corr, A. Runnett, D. McKeever

On Saturday the team take a break from the cup-something that will do no harm as it allows an opportunity for some of the fringe players to play & stake a claim for inclusion when the cup resumes next Saturday with an away trip to Clogher Valley- when the host Ballymena in an 11.00 kick off.

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