Another valuable 3 points in the bag today at Shamrock Park, but the cost could well prove significant in the longer term.  The Ports lost leading goalscorer Matt Tipton mid-way through the first half with a suspected broken shoulder and suffered another blow mid-way through the second half when midfielder Sean Mackle hobbled off with a groin injury.   Tipton picked up his injury when he raced unto a through ball and collided with Ballymena keeper Wayne Drummond in a 50:50 challenge which left the Ports player in agony holding his shoulder.  Despite coming back on after treatment it was clear the striker was suffering discomfort and he was withdrawn from the action moments later after another challenge left him in considerable pain.  He was replaced by Wes Boyle.

Despite not having played regularly Boyle slotted in well into attack and was involved in some of the Ports best moves of the game.  Kevin Braniff scored the opener in the 26th minute when he ghosted past a Ballymena defender and slotted the ball past Drummond from almost on the byeline. 

The second half saw a continuation of Portadown pressure and it was no surprise when the second goal came courtesy of Shane McCane with a wonderful strike in the 67th minute as he burst through the Ballymena defence and hammered an unstoppable volley past Drummond.  A wonderful goal by anyones standards. 

Ballymena made a number of substitutions and the game started to swing their way as they upped the tempo in the dying minutes.   Gary McCutcheon pulled one back with a fine volley from just inside the Ports box and it was game on as the Sky Blues searched for the equaliser.  Despite a few near misses the Ports held on to record an important victory which keeps them in touch with Linfield at the top of the league table.

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