Portadown’s seven game winning streak in the Bluefin Sport Championship came to end on Friday night (4 Oct) with a 0-0 draw against Newry City AFC at Shamrock Park.
Ports manager Matthew Tipton made three changes to his starting eleven that had beat the PSNI the Saturday prior with Liam McKenna replacing the suspended Chris Crane while Marty Bradley and Callum Ferris came in for Stephen Teggart and Adam Salley.
Portadown started brightly and had a great chance with only 1 minute on the clock when Lee Bonis picked up a Marty Bradley pass just outside the box before turning Newry defender Barney McKeown and getting his shot away from just inside the box however the shot was straight at Andy Coleman who was able to parry the ball away. Bonis had another chance 3 minutes later with a free kick 25 yards out but his daisy cutter was again straight at Coleman who gathered easily. The early Ports pressure continued and on 8 minutes Liam McKenna picked up a Marty Bradley pass out on the left but his attempted drive across the face of goal only found the side netting with both Ferris and Bonis loitering in the box.
Newry City’s first chance of the game fell to the in form John McGovern but his header in the box from a Stephen Moan cross was straight at Edwards, McGovern then had another chance on 22 minutes when he had a low shot from the edge of the box as the Ports defence backed off but again Ports keeper Edwards was equal to it getting low down to save. Newry continued to probe the Ports defence and had another effort on 38 minutes via a snap shot in the box from John Grant but it again it was straight at Edwards.
Just before the break Newry keeper Coleman almost presented Portadown with a great opportunity when he spilled the ball however he was on hand to quickly react and retrieve the ball before Ports striker Ferris could capitalise.
HALF TIME – PORTADOWN 0 NEWRY CITY AFC 0
Portadown’s first chance of the second half fell to Paddy McNally in the Newry box when he got on the end of a George Tipton free kick however his header fell just the wrong side of the Newry left hand post.
Newry City were to go close just before the hour mark through a powerful effort from Darren King from distance out on the right hand side however his low drive was to whizz inches past the Portadown right hand post.
Ports midfielder Conall McGrandles was to have Newry keeper Coleman at full stretch to turn away a drive from just outside the box on 66 minutes while on 70 minutes Ports substitute Salley had an effort after a bit of twisting and turning in the box but his shot across goal went wide.
Portadown had chances in the closing stages to secure the 3 points with an effort from an acute angle in the box from Adam Salley being parried away by Coleman at his near post with Ports left back Liam McKenna picking up the rebound before firing in an effort from close range which Coleman just about managed to prevent crossing the line at the second attempt. Stephen Teggart also had an effort in the box cleared off the line after a scramble in the box following a Paddy McNally header from a corner.
Alas neither team were to break the deadlock with the referee bringing the game to an end with Portadown and Newry City AFC sharing a point a piece.
FULL TIME – PORTADOWN 0 NEWRY CITY AFC 0
Portadown: Edwards, Hall, McKenna, Finnegan, McNally, Bradley, McGrandles, Tipton, Wilson, Bonis, Ferris. Substitutes: Salley (Ferris 69′), Duke, Millar, Carmichael (Tipton 81′), Teggart (Bradley 69′)
Newry City AFC: Coleman, King, Boyle, Grant, McCann, Moan, Hughes, McCabe, McGovern, McKeown, Moller Nielsen. Substitutes: Healy, Montgomery, Foley, Lennon, Lavery
MATCH SPONSOR – McBurney Transport Group
MATCH BALL SPONSOR – Arnold Courtney
PSS MAN OF THE MATCH SPONSOR – Jonny Wylie who chose Lee Bonis as Man of the Match