Lack of discipline costs Pirts dearly

An early morning pitch inspection gave the all clear for the game to go ahead, but the heavy pitch made conditions difficult for both teams. Portadown didn’t begin the game with the same level of intensity they have shown in the last few weeks and that was summed up by a Ukek shot on fifteen minutes which dropped perfectly for the winger, but he sliced his effort wildly off target. A Teelan shot from the edge of the box took a deflection which took the sting out of the ball and O’Neill dealt with it comfortably. The breakthrough for the home side came on twenty-six minutes when a long throw from Caolan Loughran into the six-yard area was cleared by the Ports defence and James Hood, unmarked on the edge of the penalty area hammered the ball past McCarey. Five minutes before the break Portadown were almost on leave terms when Chapman picked up the ball just inside his own half and as he strode forward, he played a neat one-two with Obhakhan, before rifling a shot across goal which beat the stranded Ballymena keeper before rebounding clear off the far post just evading the inrushing, Josh Ukek. In stoppage time a slack ball out of defence was picked up by McCurry and his pass inside found Gawne in acres of space but he mishit the ball allowing it to trundle tamely through to McCarey. At the other end superb work on the by-line by Ukek left his marker floundering but as he bore down on goal, he shot straight at O’Neill down to his right at the near post.Portadown came out off the blocks much sharper in the second period. Two minutes after the restart some good interplay between Wylie and Chapman provided the space for Wylie for swing a dangerous cross to the back post but it was marginally too high for Ukek to make contact with the ball. On fifty-six minutes Ballymena had a golden opportunity to double their lead when Gary Thompson pulled back Calvin McCurry in the box and referee Declan Hassan pointed to the spot. Edogun stepped up to take the spot kick, but it was saved superbly by Aaron McCarey, his third penalty save of the season.At the other end Portadown had claims for a penalty on 64 minutes when Altintop went down in a coming together but as played was waved on Mayse crossed to the back of the area Wylie fired just wide. With Portadown pushing for the equaliser McCartan jinked a shot just past O’Neill’s left-hand post and a dangerous ball from McCullough dropped just in front of O’Neill and he dropped on the ball to thwart Mayse.As the Ports pressed forward, they began to leave gaps at the back for the counter by Ballymena. Ten minutes from time Edogun broke from the halfway line and as Isamala bore down on him he unleashed a shot which just clipped the back post. Moore then in an offside position was sent clear by a long ball and as he charged clear his effort was superbly blocked by McCarey. Moore again found himself he an excellent position, but Isamala marshalled him wide to alleviate the danger. The points were wrapped up four minutes into added time when Edogun outfoxed his markers and strode forward but McCarey kept his cool to block the shot, but it dropped to Moore with the simple task of sliding the ball into the empty net. Moore was shown yellow for his inexplicable goading of the away fans. Ballymena United: O’Neill, Lafferty, Gawne(Flynn,(McMullan)), Jarvis, McCurry, Edogun, Loughran, McCallion, Corbally, Barr, Hood(Moore). Unused subs: Johnstone, Devine, Idehan, Phinn.Portadown: McCarey, Chapman, McCullough, Isamala, Altintop, Wylie, McCartan,Minzamba(Thompson), Obhakhan(Fyfe), Ukek, Teelan(Mayse). Unused Subs: Williamson, D Wilson, McElroy, Traynor