Ports in Crues control

The result was far from flattering, and Crusaders boss Declan Caddell was full of praise for Niall Currie's team: "I thought Portadown were excellent. They were hungry and looked sharp, and they caused us problems, 3-0 and it could have been more."

The home side had the better of the opening exchanges, a Jordan Forsythe from a Clarke corner went narrowly wide. Clarke was again the provider, this time for Offord but he pulled his shot wide. Some excellent high pressing from Obhakhan and Ukek set up McCartan for the Ports but his tame effort from the edge of the box was easily dealt with by Tuffey.

Portadown gradually edged their way into the game and when Chapman intercepted a slack pass 25 yards from his own goal his surging run and pass found Ukek storming down the wing. He cut into the penalty area and his curly shot across goal was pushed away by Tuffey at full stretch. Ukek was looking lively and after some goal build up work by Portadown it was that man again forcing the Crusaders keeper into another save at his near post.

The opening in goal came just before the half-hour mark, following string work down the line by Obhakhan the ball broke to McCawl and his first time pass found Mayse and the diminutive midfielder cut inside, rounded the keeper and calmly fired home from an acute angle.

Before the break Crusaders should have been level when Offord found space in a crowded box but his shot was off target.

Crusaders were first to show in the second period, following a tame effort from Teelan, a Clarke drive from 18 yards was saved by McCarey. Midway through the second period Portadown doubled their lead. In a fine counter attacking move McCawl picked up the ball just outside his own penalty area and as he drive forward he found McCartan unmarked and he it was that fed the ball to Ahu. The powerful striker twisted and turned wring footing the Crusaders defence and his low drive was hammered home into the far corner of Tuffey's goal.

The scoreline did not flatter Portadown and with 15 minutes remaining they wrapped up the points. Luke Wilson cut in from the right and played the ball to Wylie and his one-two saw a Wilson shot parried by Tuffey, where Lewis MacKinnon was quickest to reaction during the ball hard and low under the helpless keeper.

At the final whistle the raucous travelling support saluted their heroes. Ports boss Niall Currie was a very happy man as testified by the huge smile on his face. Reflecting on the game he said: "This is the best performance since I returned to the club, but we will remain humble. Everybody is pulling in the same direction. Resilience is a word we have been using and we've got a really good spirit about us."

Crusaders: Tuffey, Weir, Jewitt-White(Barr), Teelan, Blaney, Forsythe, O'Rourke, Offord(Owens), Larmour, Clarke(Nixon), Franklin(Vance). Unused subs: Kerr, Callacher

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