A BIG WIN FOR THE PORTS
Portadown picked up a much needed win with a one-goal defeat of Ballymena United at Shamrock Park.
The sides traded chances during the opening exchanges with Patrick McNally firing over at the back post while Conor Keeley sent a header just wide at the other end.
The visitors perhaps the more likely to find a way through as the first half progressed but Josh Kelly was twice denied by Ports keeper Jethren Barr.
But the deadlock was broken in Portadown's favour on 37 minutes when 19-year-old Josh Archer rolled the ball home at the back post after Jordan Jenkins had created the opening with a run into the area.
Buoyed by this, the Ports might have doubled their lead right at the end of the first half but were thwarted by a Steven McCullough goalline clearance while Jenkins saw an effort after the break go just past the post.
Ballymena pushed for the equaliser but apart from a David McDaid effort from the edge of the area and a Keeley header they never really looked like denying the Ports a valuable three points.
Portadown: Barr, Upton, Wilson, Balde, McKeown, Moorhouse, McNally, Archer, Jordan, Jenkins, Cakaj subs Beverland (not used), Stedman (not used), Russell (replaced Wilson 67), Teggart (replaced Cakaj 80), Mitchell (not used), Burns (not used), Rutkowski (replaced Moorhouse 67)
Ballymena United: O’Neill, Nelson, Redman, Wilson, Whiteside, McDaid, Kelly, McCullough, Gibson, Keeley, Place subs Williamson (not used), Loughran (not used), McElroy (not used), Waide (replaced Redman 70), Kane (replaced Gibson 84), Henderson (not used), McGrory (not used)
Substitution 
Substitution 
