Frustration as another Port game called off
Gary Pews • Published 13 Jan 2012 12:00
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CALL OFF: Manager Craig Brown agreed with the decision not to play the match at Neilston, after damage-hit Battery Park remained out of action.
HOMELESS Port Glasgow are out of action again tomorrow, following the postponement of their scheduled league match against Neilston.
With the storm-damaged Battery Park unavailable for the foreseeable future, it was a surprise that league bosses allocated another home fixture to the Port, given that the previous week's local derby against Greenock had to be called off for the same reason.
The decision prompted a mad scramble to source another venue, including the possibility of a temporary return to Ravenscraig, but it was all in vain.
Port secretary Peter Loughlin said: "With the refurbishment work at Ravenscraig fairly well advanced, we did approach the council to ask if the game could be played there.
"The council was very understanding, but technically Ravenscraig is still a building site, so it was not possible for health and safety reasons.
"But it is an option we might pursue again in the near future."
Had the opposition tomorrow been one of the clubs Port Glasgow have yet to play home and away, a swap of venue might have been a realistic proposal.
But unfortunately the Port have already been to Neilston this season, with the match in early September ending in a 3-3 draw.
Port boss Craig Brown said: "Neilston did kindly offer to play the game at their ground, but they understood why it was an offer we had to turn down.
"There are eight teams we have still to play away from home, so I hope if the ground problems continue that we will be allocated one of them in the next time round of fixtures."
Meanwhile, the prospects of either Port Glasgow or Greenock being back playing at Battery Park anytime soon look slim.
David McCorkindale, the general manager of Inverclyde Leisure, told the Tele: "The contractors have been in to look at the damaged surface and we are waiting for their technical report before deciding on the next course of action.
"However, I am hopeful that the damage can be repaired more quickly than the last time the park was affected by a storm, as the present surface is still relatively new and is of a better quality than the previous one."
As they wait for a resolution to the problem, the Port squad have been far from idle.
They have been maintaining their normal training schedule, and plan to have another light session tomorrow in the absence of any competitive action.
l Port Glasgow Juniors are sponsored by Regents Vehicle Sales, Greenock, and WJ.
This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 13 Jan 12
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