Dogged Ports move into top six

It was manager Dean Smith 300th game in charge of the villagers and he was hoping for a change of fortunes, but he came up against a resolute Portadown team eager to make amends following four straight defeats in league and cup competitions.

Niall Currie was pleased by the way his team dug out the result: ”It was a real dogged performance from us tonight, I though we slightly shaded the chances and I don’t think big Aaron had a real save to make.”

Portadown got off to a flyer in the third minute of the game when Obhakhan won a free kick 23 yards out and Steven McCullough stepped up to smash the free kick out of the reach of the despairing dive of Gartside for the opener. The Ports were moving the ball around quickly and on seven minutes Fyfe squared the ball for McCullough, but his effort was saved easily. After such a promising start the first half failed to live up to early expectations.

It took the visitors 30 minutes to create their first chance of the game when McAleer’s shot from the edge of the box was deflected wide for a corner. On 37 minutes a mistake in the Ports defence allowed McAleer to get clear but McCarey forced him wide and his shot on goal went past the post.

On 45 minutes a foul by MacKinnon earned Loughgall a free kick right on the edge of the box and a yellow card for the Ports defender. The free kick was hit straight at the Ports defensive wall but there was panic when Gibson’s ball from the rebound wasn’t dealt with, but Loughgall failed to capitalise.

In the last minute of the three added minutes Portadown should have doubled their lead. A cross from Fyfe found McCartan and his shot was tipped around the post by Gartside at full stretch.

Portadown started the second period in similar fashion to the first, McCullough broke free on the left and cut into the box but his low drive was pushed wide by Gartside. McCartan then forced another fine save from Gartside with a powerful drive from 20 yards out. Obhakhan with his physical presence was causing all sorts of problem for Loughgall.

The game continued much in the same vein as the first half with neither side creating much in the way of clear-cut chances. On 73 minutes Shay McCartan looked to have broken the Loughgall offside trap and was breaking free when he was brought down but the referee waved play on.Loughgall took comfort from the fact that there was only in a goal in it and pushed players forward as the match entered the last fifteen minutes. A long-range drive from McAleer went wide, and Balde was finding space on the right to get the ball into the Ports' box.

Loughgall looked to have grabbed a dramatic equaliser in the second minute of added time when McCloskey drilled the ball home from a long throw-in by Cartwright, but to the relief of the home-side the referee’s assistant flagged for offside. Both managers had their own opinions on that decision, for Dean Smith he claimed officials gave him two different reasons why the goal was chalked off.

“In the back of my mind I thought it could be ruled out, but when you look at the laws of the game and then you are told two different things by two officials it makes it hard to take. Ports boss Currie after reviewing the footage was adamant the officials got it right, “the player is standing directly in front of our keeper and lifts his leg so the ball slides through, he’s interfering with play, an absolutely offside decision.”

A narrow 1-0 for Portadown was enough to lift them four places to sixth in the table and condemn Loughgall to a seventh straight defeat in the league, keeping them rooted to the bottom of the table.

Portadown: McCarey, Altintop, MacKinnon, L Wilson(Mullan), Chapman, McCullough, Fyfe(McElroy), Traynor, Obhakhan, McCartan, Thompson Unused subs, Ray, D Wilson, Mayse, Wylie, Riley.

Loughgall: Gartside, Rea(McCloskey), Murdock, Hoey(Norton), McAleer, Gibson, Cartwright, Balde, Francis, Boyd(Ferris), Towe(Waide). Unused subs, Turker, Kerr, Harvey