PORTS CONTINUE CHARGE AT THE TOP
Portadown remain six points clear at the top of the Bluefin Sport Championship thanks to victory over Ards at Shamrock Park.
The Ports might have opened the scoring on ten minutes when Paddy McNally struck the crossbar with a header from a George Tipton corner while, just before the half-hour mark, Lee Bonis did have the ball in the net only for his 'goal' to be ruled out offside.
However, Portadown's opener arrived just five minutes after that. Bonis played his part again when he was hauled back in the box with Adam Salley duly stepping up to beat Brian Neeson from the spot.
That was how it stayed until the 66th minute when Bonis finally got his name on the scoresheet with a simple tap-in into an empty net after Tipton had drawn Neeson off his line.
But Ards responded well, pulling a goal back soon after through Kym Nelson with a scrambled finish on the edge of the six-yard box after William Armstrong had delivered the cross from the left.
Unfortunately for Ards there was no way back with the Ports coming close to a third in the closing moments when Neeson did well to deny Bonis from close range at the left post.
Portadown: Edwards, Crane, Finnegan, Salley, Duke, McGrandles, Tipton, Wilson, McNally, Teggart, Bonis subs Lavery (replaced Tipton 87), McKenna (not used), Carmichael (replaced Duke 74), Ferris (not used), D. McCullough (not used)
Ards: Neeson, McMillan, Armstrong, McGovern, Taylor, Murray, McMillen, Nelson, D. McAllister, E. McAllister, Harris subs McLellan (replaced Harris 66), McIlwrath (not used), McConnell (not used), Calderwood (not used), Magee (not used)
Substitution 
Substitution 
