Portadown ‘energy and legs’ allow tactical shift for Matthew Tipton

New tactics could not result in a return to winning ways but it did offer Tipton a return to the old ways he considered so central to last season’s Championship title glory, in a narrow loss to last season’s Premiership champions.

“That’s how we can play and should play,” said Tipton. “If we play on the frontfoot and be brave that’s how we are going to be at our best.

“Linfield will win most weeks and be comfortable probably at 2-1 but we gave them plenty to think about and, from that viewpoint, I’m pleased as the boys listened to what we talked about.

“If that happens and we keep on losing then I’m wrong and it’s about coming up with a different plan.

“But I signed players to do a job and it’s that job - high intensity, good energy and delivery.

“It was a performance when we won tackles and headers but also played football at the right times in the right areas.

“We wanted to get width on the pitch and have players to get deliveries into the box.

“Six months ago I wasn’t sure we had the energy or legs to play 4-4-2.

“But we’ve looked at everything over the break.

“George (Tipton) turned 18 on Tuesday and is now physically ready to do that, having always had the ability on the ball to enable us to play.

“Luke (Wilson) is 20 and there was one stage he was battling with Jamie Mulgrew for the ball and that set the tone for everybody on the pitch.

“I played with Jamie for two years and have been in this country for 10 and rarely seen Jamie come out second-best.

“Our two midfielders got around Linfield...winning tackles, winning headers and being good on the ball.

“That then allows us to play two strikers, which can stop Linfield getting out and takes away the need for a third midfielder as we won’t be under as much pressure.

“It all comes from two strikers willing to work and in Stevie (Murray) and Lee (Bonis) you’ve two as good as there are in this league in terms of work-rate and effort.”

Having finished on the losing side following a goal and assist from Linfield’s Kirk Millar - “the best player in the league” for Tipton - the Ports boss now wants to transfer the positives into points.

“It’s a coming-of-age performance but we’ve got to follow it up with a win,” said Tipton. “All the players are gutted, which we will always be if we don’t get three points from any game.

“But I also want them to learn as, although we didn’t have too many bad moments, what was bad cost us two goals.

“It’s not a case of reacting as that suggests we need to change, what I want is for us to continue to produce that same performance.”

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