GUTTED Port Glasgow Juniors boss Tam Jamieson believes that the occasion got to his players as they fell seven points behind league leaders Knightswood in a 1-0 defeat at Parklea.
The Port could have moved within a point of the Fourth Division summit with a win over the North Glasgow side had they beaten the only team above them in the standings.
But Ross Donaldson’s strike on 27 minutes settled the game in the visitors' favour after a surprisingly cumbersome performance from Jamieson's men.
That was the Undertakers’ first league defeat since August in a frantic spectacle on the banks of the Clyde and the Port gaffer admits he was left wanting as his side looked leggy against a side that he feels deserved all three points on the day.
Port Glasgow missed the chance to move within a point of the Fourth Division summit. (Image: alex craig) He told the Tele: “We’re really disappointed. This was probably one of the biggest games that we were looking forward to from away back in August.
“We’ve been so good up until this point as well, so I don’t know if the occasion maybe got to some of the players.
“I thought we looked a bit leggy, a little bit tired out there, but Knightswood probably deserved the three points.
READ MORE: Port boss vows he 'won't change game plan' as league leaders come to Parklea
“We didn’t force the goalkeeper into a save until the final minute of the game and even then, he’s plucked it out of mid-air. It’s a bit of an anti-climax.
“It’s all well and good going and beating your BSC Glasgows and your Campbeltowns, but if you don’t turn up when it matters there’s no point really.”
A ferocious opening 10 minutes set the tone for what was an enthralling encounter on the banks of the Clyde.
The Port's long unbeaten league run was ended by leaders Knightswood at Parklea on Saturday. (Image: alex craig) Jamieson’s side were trying to play the game at their own pace and that saw questions asked of whistler Daniel Boyle inside the first five minutes.
Knightswood defender Reece McGillion sparked fury from the home support after he was caught on his heels as Port pounced on them playing out from the back.
That saw Rodgers steal a march on his marker on the edge of the box and run clean through on goal, leaving him with no option but to haul him down.
He was the last man which saw the man in the middle blow for a foul quickly.
As the ref was in the process of giving the foul, McLaughlin did finish beyond an advancing Omar Joof in the Knightswood goal, but the referee had already brandished a yellow card - with the Port dugout furious that he wasn’t given his marching orders and a goal awarded.
Most of the bumper crowd at Parklea went home disappointed after the Port's 1-0 defeat. (Image: alex craig) Both sides set the tone in a high tempo affair, that had a busy Parklea struggling to keep up.
Jayden McGivern went into the book with just 10 minutes played after Knightswood missed a huge chance after being played through one-on-one with Morton loanee Sam Murdoch, who spread himself well to keep Lewis Smith out.
But the visitors would pull themselves out of a hole and take the lead just shy of the half-hour mark in smash-and-grab circumstances.
And they’d do so by taking advantage of a lapse in concentration from the Undertakers when Darvel Scottish Cup hero Darren Miller’s quick free-kick from deep caught Port sleeping at the back, and Donaldson ghosted through one-on-one to latch onto the ball in behind.
Ross Donaldson celebrates the 27th-minute goal that earned Knightswood all three points. (Image: alex craig) With Murdoch rushing out to try and smother the ball, Donaldson showed great composure to knock the ball past the Ton kid and put Knightswood into the lead.
It should’ve been 2-0 to the visitors right on the cusp of half time but for the intuition of Ben MacGillivary who blocked a Donaldson effort off the line after he did well to beat the offside trap.
The Port boss says his players need to begin to take ownership of their performances on the pitch as well as off it, as he called for the leaders in his group to stand up and be counted.
He added: “We can all see what the players want in the dressing room, but it’s when you cross the white line that matters.
Dejected Undertakers boss Tam Jamieson says some of his players didn't show the leadership that was needed against the league leaders. (Image: alex craig) “We can’t do anything as coaches, all we can do is give them instructions. Some of the boys need to take some leadership.
“I thought we lacked so much of that today from start to finish and I just felt as if that people were waiting on others to try and make something happen instead of taking that responsibility themselves.
“It’s a really hard one to take but it’s one we’ll move on from and go again next week.”
The second half was a cagey affair as the home side tried to get themselves on level terms.
Port Glasgow fell seven points behind leaders Knightswood after their 1-0 loss at home to the table-topping Glasgow side. (Image: alex craig) They tried to force the initiative, and that saw moves break down when trying to get into the final third - and the North Glasgow side passed up a great opportunity to double their lead with 20 minutes to play after McGillion headed Miller’s wedged corner just wide of Murdoch’s net.
Port would keep on pushing right until the end but their afternoon was summed up with seven minutes to play when McLaughlin found himself with a huge chance to level things up.
Instead, he lashed wide from close range after good work from Mearns to lay it into his path.
Fourth Division leaders Knightswood were delighted after taking all three points from an enthralling clash at Parklea. (Image: alex craig) And Joof, who was the most composed man in Parklea, would ensure that the points went back to Knightswood with an incredible claim in the dying seconds.
Out of nowhere the keeper plucked a header from Campbell out of the air in the final seconds to secure a big win and send his side seven points clear at the top.
Next up for the Port, as they aim to put the disappointment of Saturday's defeat behind them, is a short trip to North Ayrshire to face Saltcoats Vics on March 1.
Kick-off at Campbell Park is at 2pm.
