Larne Edge Past Sky Blues As Ports Beat Crues

Larne brought Ballymena United's winning commencement to nan play to an extremity arsenic they edged retired nan Sky Blues 1-0 astatine Inver Park.

Benji Magee scored nan opener aft 8 minutes, pinch Jim Ervin's broadside near to rue a punishment miss from Ben Kennedy earlier half-time arsenic Dan Bent added a precocious 2nd successful injury-time.

Portadown bounced backmost from caller back-to-back convention defeats to hit Crusaders 2-1 astatine Shamrock Park.

Rhys Annett netted nan opener connected his first commencement for nan nine earlier Jordan Forsythe equalised aft a well-worked Crusaders move.

Substitute Eamon Fyfe's precise decorativeness from nan separator of nan container restored nan Ports' advantage and helped them return location each 3 points.

The location broadside struck first successful nan eighth minute. There initially appeared to beryllium small threat arsenic Matty Lusty collected nan shot connected nan right-hand broadside pinch plentifulness of Ballymena players successful beforehand of him but he surged past them earlier cutting nan shot crossed nan look of extremity for nan in-rushing Magee to expanse a changeable past Sean O'Neill.

The location broadside mightiness good person doubled their advantage soon afterwards erstwhile Tomas Cosgrove ghosted successful down nan Ballymena defence unmarked to meet Mark Randall's free-kick, but he couldn't support his header connected target.

Ballymena's first effort came from Kennedy, who forced Rohan Ferguson to extremity his rising thrust complete nan crossbar.

The Sky Blues passed up a glorious chance to equalise connected nan changeable of half-time aft Magee was adjudged to person clipped Kennedy connected nan separator of nan box, but Ferguson dived to his correct to thenar distant Kennedy's poorly-struck spot kick.

Larne almost grabbed a 2nd successful first-half stoppage clip erstwhile Magee anticipated Stephen O'Donnell's headed back-pass, but his first-time half-volley cleared nan crossbar pinch O'Neill stranded.

Ballymena dominated nan opening stages of nan 2nd period, but Larne came adjacent to doubling their lead connected 64 minutes erstwhile substitute Conor McKendry's changeable rattled disconnected nan crossbar aft he was teed up by Lusty.

McKendry past group up Tiarnan O'Connor, whose changeable from an acute perspective was beaten down by O'Neill.

The location broadside yet wrapped up nan points heavy successful stoppage clip erstwhile Bent seized upon a mediocre headed clearance from a free-kick and cautiously guided a changeable into nan bottommost corner.

Fraser Bryden had 2 chances to springiness nan distant broadside an early lead but headed wide of nan left-hand station from adjacent scope earlier guiding Brendan Hamilton's free-kick from 25-yards narrowly disconnected target.

A past gasp involution from Forsythe astatine nan different extremity past denied Lee Chapman's transportation crossed nan look of extremity from sneaking into nan bottommost corner.

Portadown collapsed nan deadlock pinch conscionable 3 infinitesimal to spell until nan break erstwhile Lewis Barr grounded to clear Chapman's debased walk guardant to Annett, who made nary correction erstwhile near one-on-one.

Crusaders responded and levelled nan crippled successful nan 52nd infinitesimal erstwhile Forsythe dispatched Adam Brooks forward.

The striker past showed awesome accomplishment to weave astir his marker and travelled into nan container earlier returning nan shot backmost to Forsythe astatine nan separator of nan container to occurrence home.

Aaron McCarey past palmed Lloyd Anderson's header complete nan crossbar to contradict Crusaders a speedy 2nd goal.

Substitute Fyfe restored Niall Currie's sides' lead connected 74 minutes erstwhile he coolly converted nan rebound of Annett's effort which had been denied by stopper Tuffey.