Portadown lost 4-1 to Mid Ulster rivals Glenavon at Mourneview Park on Tuesday night.
Going into the game the home side made 2 changes from their 3-1 defeat to Ballymena United. Andy Hall and Matthew Snoddy came in for Greg Moorhouse and Michael O’Connor.
Portadown also made 2 changes from Saturdays defeat to Warrenpoint Town, with Eamon Scannell and Ben Tilney replacing Oisin Conaty and Stephen Teggart.
The first half was one largely dominated by the home side, and they had an opportunity on three minutes when a ball into the box by Calvin Douglas was tipped over the bar by Jacob Carney for a corner.
The home side had a big opportunity on 7 minutes when Matthew Fitzpatrick raced through one on one following a counter attack with Jacob Carney saving the strikers effort.
On 11 minutes Fitzpatrick had a shot from distance which was gathered by Ports keeper Jacob Carney.
On 23 minutes Ports keeper Carney made a great save to tip a curling Peter Campbell shot from the edge of the box over the bar for a corner.
On 28 minutes Jacob Carney was on hand to deny this time, Danny Purkis who was through one on one on the counter with the Englishman blocking the strikers shot with his feet.
On 32 minutes Purkis would have the ball in the net after being picked out from a Calvin Douglas cross however it was ruled out for offside.
At the other end Portadown striker Adam Salley had a long range shot from the right side sail well over the bar on 41 minutes.
On 43 minutes Portadown would have the opening goal with their first shot on target, striker Lee Bonis got on the end of a George Tipton long ball over the top of Glenavons defence to volley past Craig Hyland for his 12th goal of the season.
Within a minute the home side would be on level terms when defender Andrew Doyle headed past the keeper at the back post from a corner to make it 1-1 on the brink of half time.
On 46 minutes the home side should have had the lead when Fitzpatrick laid off Andy Hall who from close range sent an effort wide of the post.
Half time score:
Glenavon 1 (Doyle 44’)
Portadown 1 (Bonis 43’)
On 58 minutes Jacob Carney would be on hand to deny a Matthew Fitzpatrick shot from the edge of the box.
On the 60th minute the home side would take the lead when Purkis got on the end of a ball into the box before finding Fitzpatrick who fired the ball past the keeper to make it 2-1.
On the 74th minute the hosts lead would be increased when a low effort from Fitzpatrick from the edge of the box nestled in the bottom corner.
On 81 minutes it would be four, when Ports defender Adam McCallum sent an attempted clearance from a Fitzpatrick cross into his own net.
Our next fixture in the Danske Bank Premiership is at home to Carrick Rangers on the 15th May with a 3pm KO. (Break due to the Irish Cup) You can catch all the action next Saturday live on https://www.247.tv/gaa/niprem
Full time score:
Glenavon 4 (Doyle 44’, Fitzpatrick 60’,74’, McCallum OG 81’)
Portadown 1 (Bonis 43’)
(Game took place behind closed doors)
Match Officials
Referee – Lee Tavinder
Assistant 1 –George Argyropoulos Assistant 2 – Ryan Kelsey
4th official – Ben McMaster
Glenavon XI (managed by Gary Hamilton): 31.Hyland (GK), 6.A Doyle (scorer 44’), 9.Purkis (replaced by J Doyle 83’), 10.Campbell, 11.A Hall (replaced by Byrne 81’), 14.Snoddy, 19.Fitzpatrick (scorer 60’,74’), 24.Douglas, 27.Singleton (C), 28.Garrett (replaced by Norton 86’), 30.Ward
Glenavon substitutes: 4.Birney (unused), 7.Byrne, 12.Moorhouse (unused), 21.O’Mahony (unused), 22.Norton, 26.J Doyle, 32.McCaffrey (unused)
Portadown XI (managed by Matthew Tipton): 52.Carney (GK), 2.G Hall, 4.McCallum (OG 81’), 5.Finnegan (booked 56’), 8.Tipton (booked 71’), 9.Salley (replaced by Glenfield 86’), 10.Bonis (C) (scorer 43’), 19.Guy (replaced by Conaty 64’), 22.Kerr, 25.Scannell, 44.Tilney (replaced by Lavery 68’, booked 70’)
Portadown substitutes: 33.Buchanan (GK) (unused), 7.Lavery, 11.Murray (unused), 21.Conaty, 23.Warde (unused), 32.Cowan (unused), 45.Glenfield
Written by Alex Morrison.