Portadown chief Paul Doolin has warned his players not to leave one foot on the ground as the Mid Ulster giants struggle to maintain their top-flight position over the next three weeks.
Victory over Warrenpoint Town, who are 12 points behind them at the bottom of the table with five games left, doomed Barry Gray’s men to auto relegation today.
The draw will also effectively score a goal difference, although Dulin wants to keep watching the former as he tries to break out of the terrible collision zone.
Carrick Rangers, who plays Dungannon Swift today, is just one point above the ports currently at the other end and in the landing and ascent playoffs.
“People might say, ‘We’re sure we’re safe now, we’re in the playoffs, but I guess we don’t have any,'” Doolin said.
“I told the players not to think we’re done yet. We’re not. Times are just starting. We have to go ahead and see what other points we can get.
“I was here for nine matches and when I joined I wanted to try and score a few points before splitting. We were able to pick 11, which was pretty cool.
We did a great job reducing (on the car) the difference by one point, but we have to move on. We have to earn more points.”
Although Portdown has had 10 points in its last five league games, Warrenpoint has lost seven points in a row, the last losing 2-1 to Linfield in Milltown.
“We’re at home and we have to try to win,” said Doolin, who temporarily replaced Matthew Tipton at the end of January.
“We are also very close to Carrick and Dangannon and these matches after the split are the ones to win.
“The teams we’re playing with now are the teams around us, so you really have to try to win these matches.”
Saturday season
(will start at 3pm unless specified)
Section A
Glentoran vs Crusaders
Cliftonville – Lynnfield (5:30 pm)
part b
Carrick Rangers vs Duncan Swift
Glenavon – Balimina United
Portadown vs Warrenpoint Town
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Source: Belfastlive
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