Port boss thrilled as Glasgow students are blown away by six-star Parklea show

TAM JAMIESON admitted he was ‘thrilled’ at the ‘first class performance’ that took his Port Glasgow Juniors side to the top of the Third Division table on Saturday.

Aidan Duffy’s brace, alongside goals from Shaun Rodgers, Dylan McLaughlin, John Mitchell and Simon McBryde, secured a superb 6-1 win for the Undertakers at home to a Glasgow University side who’d gone into the clash joint top of the standings.

But the visitors had no answer to the free-flowing, attacking approach by the Parklea side as Jamieson’s men blew away their opponents – and any lingering memories of the previous week’s 3-2 cup loss to Whitletts.

Speaking after the match, the Port’s gaffer said: “I was delighted with my players today. They put on a real show on for our loyal supporters.

“From start to finish the tempo we played just blew away Glasgow University and the guys who came on from the bench kept it going.

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“This was a first class performance in the biggest match of the season so far against the joint league leaders.

“When we play like this we’ll be a match for anyone at this level.”

Jamieson made one change to his starting XI from the Whitletts game, with Kyle Barclay making way for Johnny Gallagher as he returned from injury for a history-making match, with Saturday’s clash being the first ever between the two teams.

And the Port’s high tempo approach saw them dominate the opening exchanges of their first home Saturday afternoon match of the season, with Alex McWaters’ shot blocked in the first 60 seconds.

The opening goal came with just eight minutes on the clock when Martin Campbell seized on a poor pass out of defence by the visitors and set up Rodgers to turn three defenders 25 yards out and smash the ball into the top corner.

Dylan McLaughlin’s header crashed off the bar two minutes later as the hosts went in search of a second, though they were given a scare when the unmarked Toni Ferre’s header came back off Robbie McKellar’s crossbar before being cleared by Mitchell.

The Port’s six-star showing against Glasgow University delighted manager Tam Jamieson. (Image: alex craig) And the Port were given a rude awakening 10 minutes before the break when a mix-up in defence put Connelly in on goal, and though McKellar pulled off a great save, Callum Logan slotted home the rebound from the edge of the box.

The loss of a leveller stung the hosts into action, though, and a superb passing move saw the Port back in front straight from the restart, with Duffy taking the kick-off and McWaters, Jayden McGivern and Rodgers all involved before Duffy’s shot was diverted past keeper Matthew Teague by McLaughlin.

And the home team added a third on the stroke of half-time when Gallagher’s mazy run up the wing set up a one-two between Duffy and Jack Purdue, with Duffy firing into the top corner of the net to put some daylight between the two teams at the break.

Seven days earlier, an early second half switch-off had proved the Port’s undoing against Whitletts, but there would be no repeat of that this time around, with number four arriving just three minutes into the second half when a Purdue corner picked out Mitchell at the back post to power a header past Teague.

The visitors enjoyed their best spell of the second half after the loss of the fourth goal, but Port’s possession football meant chances for the students were in short supply.

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And in fact it was one rare foray forward by the University that led to the Port’s fifth goal; McKellar’s punch clear picked out Purdue for a 60-yard ball up to Rodgers, whose first-time ball into the box was put away by Duffy to end any thoughts the visitors might have been harbouring of a comeback.

The Port’s management team made three changes for the final quarter, with McBryde, Euan Campbell and Chris Kelly all coming on – and it was one of those substitutes who added the home side’s sixth, McBryde finding the net with a missile of a shot from 25 yards after a McGillivray cross was only partly cleared.

McBryde might have had a second 10 minutes left, only for Teague to pull off the save of the match to keep out another effort from distance from the former Largs and Irvine Meadow man, but the Port could still be well pleased with a fine performance and result that saw them climb to the top of the table after lunchtime leaders Dalry were held 1-1 at home by Knightswood.

Special mention must go to the Dandy Dons who enjoyed Saturday’s game as the guests of Port Glasgow club ambassador and Pittodrie legend John McMaster.

Next up for the Port is their toughest test of the season so far when Civil Service Strollers come to Parklea in the second round of the South Challenge Cup on Saturday, September 13.

Tam Jamieson’s Port Glasgow side host Civil Service Strollers in the South Challenge Cup on September 13 in what’s likely to be their toughest test of the season so far. (Image: alex craig) The Edinburgh-based side currently play in the Lowland League, four tiers above the Undertakers, but with only one win from their six league matches so far, they will be wary of the threat posed by a Port Glasgow side who could hardly go into the tie in a more positive frame of mind.

Team: Robbie McKellar, Ben MacGillivray, John Gallagher, John Mitchell, Jayden McGivern, Martin Campbell, Jack Purdue, Alex McWaters, Aidan Duffy, Dylan McLaughlin, Shaun Rodgers. Substitutes: Euan Campbell, Connor Weston, Chris Kelly, Sam McGarva, Simon McBryde, Liam Pettigrew, Kyle Barclay.

Port Glasgow’s club sponsors are Dragon Soop, Coop Funeralcare, The Caledonian Bar, Autotec, Dunns Mot Centre, Clydeview Motors, Dare2CreateIT, and Williams Double Glazing.

Port boss thrilled as Glasgow students are blown away by six-star Parklea show

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