It was billed as the game of the day last Saturday with two of the league’s surprise packages in opposition at Shamrock Park. Portadown unbeaten in six league games met Ballymena United on the back of five straight wins. Both sides had recruited strongly during the pre-season break and their meeting was eagerly anticipated by both sets of fans.

It was the visitors that showed up first on five minutes when a header by prolific goalscorer Ben Kennedy sailed just over the bar. The Braidmen then forced a corner on nine minutes, and when the ball was cleared from the resultant kick Ports captain, Gary Thompson was left in a heap on the ground. After several minutes treatment Thompson was unable to continue and it was later revealed he had received fourteen stitches in a deep cut above his left eye.

Portadown after those early scares took control and had several chances to open the scoring the closest of which was a Mayse shot which was blocked for a corner. Just after the half hour mark Josh Ukek picked up a ball in the opposition area, he side stepped his marker and his low drive looks destined for the bottom corner but O'Neill somehow got down to turn it around the post.

Ukek was causing all sorts of trouble for the visitors and four minutes from the break his shot on the turn following a surging run curled just over.

Ballymena blocked everything Portadown threw at them

placeholder image — Ballymena blocked everything Portadown threw at them

It looked like the sides would go in level at the interval but on 45 minutes Josh Carson lost his marker and his cross was met by the head of Ethan Devine. The ball looped and over McCarey and went in off the post.

The second period saw little change in the Ports domination. McCartan fed in Mayse but his shot only found the side netting and a McCullough close range side foot effort fell tamely into the arms of O'Neill. The home support thought a Mullan header in the last ten minutes had secured a point but O'Neill was equal to it pulling off a top drawer save.

The final whistle signalled the end of the Ports unbeaten run, and although frustrated by the result Niall Currie was pleased with his side's display. " I thought that possession wise we were very very good, we dominated the game but we just lacked that last third of the pitch today," he said.

"We got in great situations, unfortunately the quality wasn't quite there from wide areas and balls into the box. Congratulations to Ballymena they put their bodies on the line and got their blocks in."