THE NIBA League’s first division has always boasted a number of quality teams, Portadown included for many years.

Due to circumstances beyond the locals’ control, however, the 2008 campaign will be about rebuilding and endeavouring to ensure that their place in the top flight is maintained.

So although Saturday’s defeat by Bangor looks hefty at first glance, the truth of the matter is that Portadown went close to gaining three points. Indeed, just one bowl by a Bangor skip proved to be a difference of 10 shots and quite possibly denied the Pleasure Gardens victory. On such things do seasons turn...

Joe Beattie, Nixon Armstrong, Noel Quinn and Geoff McMullan did not have the better of the exhanges up to the ninth end. However, in keeping with each of the other three Portadown rinks they battled all the way.

Thus they finished with 11 scoring ends having trailed 12-2, a real display of character and mettle. From the 10th end onwards they scored nine times and so made a real fight of it, ultimately going down 20-16 when at one stage they had apopeared destined for a much heavier defeat.

FLIER

Jack Moffett, David Moore, Robert Hobson and Richard McMullan made a great start and in the final analysis that was what gave them victory.

The Portadown quartet got off to a flier, opening with scores of 4, 5, 3 and 1. Bangor made little impact and, as a result, the McMullan-skipped locals led 18-8 after 13 ends.

But the next end proved highly significant, for with Portadown holding 7 shots, Bangor skip, Simon Martin, drove at the head, sending the jack into the ditch for 3 shots. That lifted the seasiders’ hopes considerably and clearly had a major bearing on them having gone back to Bangor with six points. That said, the Portadown rink did not cave in, witness the fact that they went on to win 23-18.

DETERMINATION

Chris Duff, Martin Willocks, Robert Cassells and Errol Whitten managed to stay with their opponents for the first 10 ends, at which stage they were just a shot in arrears at 12-11.

But they slipped back over the next four ends and so found themselves 8 shots adrift.

Those were pulled back, however, thanks to the determination of the Whitten foursome, and as a result of their heroics the board read 19-19 after 17 ends and 22-22 with 19 gone.