Portadown got their Bluefin Sport Championship title challenge back on track on Saturday (19 October) with a 2-0 win over Dergview at Shamrock Park.
Portadown manager Matthew Tipton made three changes to the starting eleven that lost at H&W Welders last time out with Luke Wilson, Adam Salley and Ryan Carmichael coming in for Marty Bradley, Aaron Duke and Conall McGrandles.
There was very little of note to report from the first half bar a few shots from distance from Dergview courtesy of Gareth Doherty and Paul Smith however both efforts went over the bar and failed to trouble Ports shotstopper Edwards, however it was Edwards who almost gifted Dergview the lead in the 28th minute when his ball out following a back pass went straight to Dergview striker Simon McGlynn however McGlynn rattled the Portadown crossbar from close range, a real let off for both Edwards and the Ports.
BLUEFIN SPORT CHAMPIONSHIP HALF TIME – PORTADOWN 0 DERGVIEW 0
It was Portadowns turn in the second half to test the strength of the woodwork when in the 52nd minute Ports midfielder Stephen Teggart picked up the ball at the edge of the box following a knock down from Lee Bonis however his shot from the edge of the box rattled the Dergview right hand post, minutes later Dergview went close to taking the lead when Paul Smiths low shot from outside the box went inches wide of Edwards right hand post via a deflection.
Dergview were to strike the Portadown bar once more in the 61st minute with a first time effort from Garth Falconer from all of 25 yards which had Ports keeper Edwards beat all ends up and went close again moments later through Falconer when his half volley from the edge of the box following a corner went just over the bar.
Ports went close on 64 minutes when Ports centre back Paddy McNally headed agonisingly wide of the Dergview left hand post from a Liam McKenna corner.
Portadown were to take the lead in the 80th when striker Lee Bonis was to capitalise on indecision in the Dergview defence following a long clearance up field by Paul Finnegan to steal in between keeper and defence to nod past the on rushing Alan Buchanan and into an empty net.
Bonis’s goal seemed to awaken Portadown from their slumber as they were to go close to extending their lead through firstly Marty Bradley who won the ball in the box before sending a low curling shot inches wide of the Dergivew right hand post and then Adam Salley almost made it two with a first time shot in the box after being played in by Aaron Duke but his shot went wide.
Portadown did indeed make it two in the first minute of injury time when Adam Salley chested the ball down and unleashed a half volley from outside the box which rattled the crossbar with the ball rebounding out and striking Dergview keeper Buchanan on the back and going into the net.
The Ports get back to winning ways following a draw against Newry City AFC and last weeks defeat to H&W Welders and remain 1 point behind league leaders Loughgall before next weeks trip to Queens University.
Portadown: Edwards, Hall, Finnegan, McKenna, Salley, Tipton, Wilson, Carmichael, McNally, Teggart, Bonis subs McCallum (not used), Bradley (replaced Tipton 64), Duke (replaced Carmichael 77), McGrandles (not used), Ferris (not used)
Dergview: Al. Buchanan, M. Buchanan, Falconer, Maxwell, D. McNulty, Ad. Buchanan, McConnell, Doherty, McGlynn, Smith, Wallace subs Callaghan (not used), Young (replaced Ad. Buchanan 71), McKeown (not used), A. Sproule (replaced McConnell 76), I. Sproule (replaced McGlynn 80)
Referee: Chris Morrison
MATCH SPONSOR – DAVID JAMESON ROOFING
MATCH BALL SPONSOR – GT TARMAC
PSS MAN OF THE MATCH SPONSOR – COMBER PORTS – LEE BONIS PSS MAN OF THE MATCH