PORTLAND United interim-boss Gary Bailey feels the club’s results since he took over were on an “even keel”.

Bailey was appointed as temporary manager in late-January, succeeding Simon Browne at the Blues’ helm, and secured four wins and four draws to temper eight games lost in all competitions during his 16-game tenure.

And the Blues’ impermanent number one admitted results had not been palatable but praised the effort of his players in a hectic end to the season.

He told Echosport: “The league position was not where the club wanted to finish. None of us foresaw that. It was a difficult season with a change of manager and what went on after that.

“Then myself and my staff coming halfway through. First and foremost, I’ve got to say the players responded really well. They gave everything and we couldn’t have asked for any more.

“The results were a bit disappointing but there were also games where we overperformed and didn’t get the result we deserved, so it was a bit of an even keel.”

Bailey also referenced the endeavour of the club’s younger players, who turned out for the Blues with a thin squad towards the end of the season.

He said:”The frantic end to the season did for a lot of teams with the pile-up of fixtures and then how we landed so many games on the road and all the injuries we picked up.

“Ryan McKechnie going away, Alex Halloran’s injury, Lewis Clarke as well, they’re all big players to lose with the tight squad we inherited.

“The inhibits your ability to put a full-strength side out and rotate and share the workload around.”We ended up asking a super amount from the young players.

“They turned up tired and still went out there and tried to put in a performance for the club.”