Paget double strike sinks sorry Sky Blues
�Press Eye Ltd Northern Ireland -31st January 2012 Mandatory Credit - Picture by Darren Kidd/Presseye.com Carling Premiership, Ballymena v Portadown. Ballymena's with Portadown's
MATTHEW Paget’s double strike sent Portadown back into second place in the Carling Premiership title race after a dramatic late win at the Showgrounds, WRITES STEPHEN ALEXANDER.
The midfielder hit his first goals of the season – the second a marvellous 25 yard strike with just three minutes left – to close the gap on leaders Linfield and leave Glenn Ferguson still searching for his first league win as Ballymena manager.
Portadown started brightly and Ross Redman’s cross from the left was headed over by the unmarked Chris Ramsey.
It took United half an hour to record a meaningful opportunity, with James Costello’s header from a Tony Kane right-wing cross acrobatically turned behind by Miskelly.
But the big striker wasn’t going to be denied and he scored his first goal since his summer move from Glenavon five minutes before the interval, reacting quickly to swivel and steer home a shot after his initial header from Rory Carson’s cross was blocked by Ramsey.
And as Ballymena enjoyed their best period of the match, left-back Ross Black was inches off target with a 30-yard drive.
But Portadown fought back and levelled on 65 minutes when Mackle threaded a pass through the United defence for Matthew Paget to run through and steer a low shot past Nelson.
The visitors grabbed a stunning late winner when Jamie Tomelty’s cross from the left was headed out to Paget, who took a touch before rifling a rising drive past Nelson and into the top corner from 25 yards.
Ballymena United: Nelson, Kane, Munster, Taylor, Black, Carson (sub Surgenor 79), Taggart, Downey, Teggart, McCutcheon, Costello (sub Baker 79). Subs (not used): Stewart, Woods, Rodgers.
Portadown: Miskelly, Burns, O’Hara, Ramsey, Redman, Mackle (sub McCloskey 73), Clarke, Paget, Tomelty, Tipton, Braniff. Subs (not used): Murphy, Brown, McKinney, Acheson.
Referee: Ross Dunlop (Carrick).
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Tuesday 29 May 2012
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