Kevin ​Deery aims to close gap at top as Institute host Portadown at Brandywell

​The Creggan man is delighted with how the season has been developing for his team who currently occupy third spot in the Playr-Fit Championship and the visit of Niall Curry's experienced outfit offers an opportunity to close to within two points of the Shamrock Park club.

Many would consider 'Stute's largely inexperienced team to be punching above their weight given during the opening 12 league matches given the club's budget compared to the big hitters in the division. Portadown are among those teams with the biggest financial backing in the league and Deery is hoping his team can remain on their coattails with a morale boosting win on Saturday.

"I don't think our budget is anywhere near the top five or six teams in the league and then you have the bottom six who are probably scraping off a similar budget as we are. So we're delighted with the way it's going.

"Myself and Mo (Mahon) and with Niall Grace coming in now, we're competitors and we want to try to stay in there with Dundela and Portadown. Obviously Welders have pegged us back three points at the weekend and they'll be coming stronger but we want to stay amongst that (leading pack) and compete with those teams and push on this season."

However, the former Derry City midfielder warned his team will be punished by the Ports if they don't improve their defending of set-pieces after they let slip a 1-0 lead against Welders in East Belfast on Saturday, losing 4-1 despite dominating the early scoring chances.

Michael Harris opened the scoring early for Stute and Kirk McLaughlin missed a couple of gilt-edged chances either side of half-time while Ryan Morrow's first half dismissal did them no favours. Tiernan McKinney struck the crossbar with a penalty kick on the hour mark before the game fell apart for 'Stute in a disastrous 10 minute spell at the Blanchflower Stadium.

It was a frustrating afternoon for Deery but he's far from discouraged.

"I feel we're starting to really suss the league out and the boys are playing well," said Deery. "Even the game at the weekend, we dominated the whole of the first half, had four or five really good chances and only went in 1-0 up at the break.

"We were down to 10 men after 30 minutes and then we had a big penalty in the 60th minute to go 2-0 up but crashed it off the bar and you could see they (Welders) got a lift.

"So for the next eight or 10 minutes they got at us, got a few corners and scored from them and we were deflated. It's all about learning.

"Listen, we know we have a big game against Portadown this weekend so we have to defend set pieces better. We don't have to play much better than we did."

In the reverse fixture against Portadown last August, Stute fell to a 1-0 defeat despite once again dominating the goalscoring chances - much like Saturday's defeat to Welders, a comparison which wasn't lost on Deery.

"It's a big game for us considering we went up there and gave such a great account of ourselves. On another day we could've been 4-1 winners.

"I don't like casting back to that but we hit the crossbar, the post and had one-on-one chances similar to Saturday and then we conceded three set pieces in 10 or 12 minutes.

"So we know we need to defend set pieces better in this league, not just Portadown or anyone else, there's a lot of set piece goals and mistakes."

Deery believes his team deserve to be up challenging at the top of the table and he's hoping to keep the heat on the top two, Portadown and Dundela, with a statement win at Brandywell.

"I'm really looking forward to it. I feel the players are ready for it, They're five points ahead of us and we have a game in hand so it would be good for us to peg it back, get a big win and then we're two points behind second place with a game in hand. So that's our motivation and we need to defend those set pieces a whole lot better than we did against Welders.

"We're playing really well at the minute and looking a real goal threat. We should've had more than one at the weekend but didn't so defending those setpieces better and carrying that goal threat is the basis we're looking at this weekend."

In order to stay the course at the top Deery knows he must add some experience to his squad when the January transfer window opens but for now he’s delighted with the progress and confident they can keep the pace with the likes of Portadown and Dundela.

"We're delighted with how things are going. We’ve treated the players with utmost respect and been up front and honest with them with what we’re looking to do. Work hard, enjoy training have a nice environment and it's worked so far but we definitely feel we need to add more experience in January to help the young boys.”