Institute boss Kevin Deery accuses Portadown of lacking sportsmanship and respect

​The Creggan man was clearly annoyed by the behaviour of supporters, players and officials of the Shamrock Park outfit after substitute Eoghan McCawl's 97th minute winner in the 2-1 result on Foyleside where two of the NIFL Championship's title contenders went toe-to-toe.

Up to 30 travelling supporters scaled the pitchside barrier at the Lone Moor Road end of the ground and substitutes and coaches celebrated wildly on the touchline after McCawl's strike hit the net with the last action of a pulsating clash.

Deery accused the visitors of lacking sportsmanship and claimed Institute staff and players were subjected to 'horrendous' abuse from sections of the Portadown support.

"We don't like the reaction," said an irritated 'Stute boss afterwards. "We don't like the lack of sportsmanship. The abuse from some of their fans towards staff and players was horrendous.

"Unfortunately we're in one of these divisions where there's a serious lack of respect and lack of empathy for good people and good players throughout the league.

"We'll take it on the chin and use it as motivation. They're level on points with us and are going on like they've knocked us out of the title challenge," Deery said of the League Cup finalists. "We've been a match for everyone right throughout the whole season and we'll continue to be that.

"I think there's still seven games and they're going on as if they won the league so, settle down. You have won nothing yet and they're bouncing around as if they've won the league so that tells you we're doing something right but we will be ready to go again next week."

Institute had taken a 44th minute lead in the game thanks to Mikhail Kennedy's penalty despite being reduced to 10 men after five minutes when Danny Lafferty brought down Eamon Fyfe who was through on goal.

A mistake from goalkeeper Gareth Muldoon gifted Aaron Traynor the equaliser five minutes into the second half before McCawl's late, late winner which knocked the stuffing out of the 'Stute team who could so easily have won the game but for Michael Harris' header going wide of the post at 1-1.

"I'm devastated for the players," added the 'Stute boss who felt his team were on the wrong end of some big calls. "I'm so gutted for them. I think we were down to 10 men for 98 minutes including the injury time in the first half and the seven minutes played in the second half. There were six supposed to be added on but he added an extra minute for some strange reason.

"The players gave everything again. I felt we should've gone 2-1 up with 10 men with Michael Harris' chance. He's very unlucky.

"We're on a journey. Portadown is investing lots into it. I just feel gutted for my players for the effort they put in and to get nothing out of the game was unjust in my opinion.

"The positive is we're competing with Portadown with 10 men and probably looking the better team for long periods. Comfortable. Doing all our jobs properly but there were two lapses which cost us the game and they didn't deserve that."

When BJ Banda was brought down inside the penalty area by Ports keeper Aaron Hogg 'Stute were awarded a spotkick but the goalie was shown yellow much to the frustration of Deery who described the 'double jeopardy' rule which protects keeper from being penalised twice for the same offence as 'nonsense'.

"Double jeopardy is the rule - the most nonsense rule I've ever heard. BJ skips by the keeper and is about to tap the ball into the empty net and he brings him down. We got a penalty, great but for me it's a bigger opportunity than Danny's one who fouls a boy 30 yards from goal.

"If the keeper brings a boy down and it's a penalty, it's double jeopardy and it's a booking. For how harsh Danny's was I felt Fyfe has played for it. Danny could've read the situation a bit quicker and got on the right side but there's hardly any contact and he's gone down.

“He has Gareth to beat from 30 yards out and we have two recovering defenders. It doesn't add up. And the extra minute he's added on at the end doesn't add up either. Listen, we have to dust ourselves down. We don't get a lot so we have to keep going and see where it takes us.

"I can't fault my players. They gave everything for the jersey, everything for the staff and the group.. We have to bounce back next week. It's a difficult one to take and it's sore doing these interviews straight after, especially after the reaction there.

"I can take pride from it. You can hurt and look at all the negatives but the boys poured their hearts out there with 10 men for nearly 100 minutes."

"We have two real tough games coming up and a North West Cup Final. They'll be hurting this weekend but we’ll come in Monday and get ready to go up to Welders for another tough game. I think if we show those commitment levels and cut out those errors we'll be a match for anyone.

“That’s the team tipped to win the league and canter it and I think if we had 11 men out there today we would be sitting having a different conversation."