A 77th minute goal from Andy McGrory saw Portadown lose 1-0 to Ballymena United in a game where the home side finished with 9 men after Oisin Conaty and Nathan Kerr received red cards from referee Evan Boyce.
The Ports named an unchanged line up from their 3-2 win over Warrenpoint Town on the 2nd October, in the hope they could make it two wins from two.
Ballymena made one change from their mid week League Cup win in extra time against Crusaders, with Daniel Bramall replacing Paul McElroy in the starting line up.
In the first minute, Portadown had an opportunity when Stephen Teggart had a shot from range which failed to hit the target.
As both sides failed to fashion any real effort on goal, Lee Bonis had low free kick from distance right into the hands of Jordan Williamson on 18 minutes.
On 27 minutes, Ballymena had a good opportunity when Dan Bramall had a deflected cross just evade the path of Jonté Smith who almost certainly would have scored had he made contact with the ball.
On 32 minutes, in what was probably the most significant moment of the first half saw Oisin Conaty awarded a straight red card by referee Evan Boyce for an off the ball incident with Ballymena defender Caolan Loughran.
On 37 minutes, Ports midfielder Michael Ruddy had a shot from range fail to trouble Jordan Williamson in the Ballymena United goal.
On 38 minutes, Chris Laverys ball into the box was easily gathered by Jordan Williamson.
On 43 minutes, Portadowns Stephen Teggart had a 25 yard effort fail to hit the target.
On the brink of half time on 44 minutes Ballymena nearly opened the scoring when defender Connor Keeley forced a good save from Jethren Barr from distance.
Half time score:
Portadown 0 (Conaty S/O 32’)
Ballymena United 0
On 51 minutes, Ballymenas Daniel Bramall, who appeared a live threat for the visitors throughout the game, had a powerful shot go over the bar early in the second half.
On 54 minutes, Portadown had a good opportunity that started with Lee Bonis putting in a great tackle to dispossess Daniel Bramall with the attack cultivating in the former Seagoe man heading over from a good position.
On 63 minutes, Ports defender Paul Finnegan headed wide from a Stephen Teggart corner.
On 65 minutes, a twisting and turning Jude Winchester found Paul McElroy in the box who forced a diving save from Jethren Barr.
On 71 minutes, a quick Portadown free kick released Chris Lavery with space on the right side with the wingers effort being saved by Jordan Williamson.
On the 75th minute Portadown would be reduced to 9 men when Nathan Kerr saw a second yellow card for a foul on Ryan Waide.
Soon after Ballymena would open the scoring when Andy McGrory turned in Leroy Millars cross on 77 minutes to make it 1-0 to the visitors.
Full time score:
Portadown (Conaty S/O 32’, Kerr S/O 75’)
Ballymena United 1 (McGrory 77’)
Our next game is this Tuesday 19th October when we take on Warrenpoint Town in the Mid Ulster Cup at Shamrock Park with a 7:45pm KO.
Match Sponsor – Palyn Transport Management Consultants
PSS Man of the Match: Barney McKeown (chosen by sponsor Lee Leckey)
Match officials
Referee – Evan Boyce
Assistant 1 – Kristian Hanna
Assistant 2 – Ken Ross
4th official – Barry Monaghan
Portadown XI (managed by Matthew Tipton): 19.Barr (GK), 2.Hall, 3.Ruddy, 4.McCallum, 5.Finnegan, 6.B McKeown (booked 57’) (replaced by McLeod 74’), 7.Lavery (replaced by Warde 80’), 10.Bonis (C), 14.Conaty (s/o 32’), 15.Kerr (booked 48’, s/o 75’), 20.Teggart
Portadown substitutes: 1.Doherty (GK) (unused), 8.Tipton (unused), 11.Anderson (unused), 22.McLeod, 23.Warde, 24.Glenfield (unused), 29.Rutkowski (unused)
Ballymena United XI (managed by David Jeffrey): 1.Williamson (GK), 3.Redman, 6.O McKeown (booked 15’) (replaced by McElroy 46’), 7.Winchester (booked 90+2), 14.Henderson (replaced by Wilson 46’), 17.McGrory (scorer 77’), 18.Bramall (replaced by Waide 58’), 21.Loughran, 22.Keeley, 23.Millar (C), 27.Smith
Ballymena United substitutes: 26.Johnston (GK) (unused), 2.Chapman (unused), 4.Wilson, 9.McElroy, 10.Waide, 16.Barr (unused), 29.Beattie (unused)
Written by Alex Morrison.