HOW IT HAPPENED: Portadown 1 Ballymena United 0

F-T: Portadown 1 Ballymena United 0

92: Golden chance to seal the points for the Ports as Stedman sends Teggart clear but O'Neill gains a vital touch to divert it wide

89: SUB (Ballymena) - Kane on for Redman

88: SUB (Portadown) - Mashigo on for Tipton

81: SUB (Portadown) - Doherty on for Conaty

78: Redman feeds the ball towards the box and McNally's intercept attempt at a stretch ends up with the ball deflected into the path of Keeley, who moves wide of the out-rushing Barr but scoops it over the target

77: Nelson meets a McGrory corner-kick but, again, it fails to test Barr

76: Well-worked Ballymena move from right to left ends in Millar attempting to squeeze a sidefoot shot inside Barr's near post but the goalkeeper drops down to push out for a corner-kick

74: Barr collects after Kelly connects to a Redman free-kick but it lacks the power to trouble the Ports goalkeeper

70: SUB (Ballymena) - Barr on for Loughran

68: SUB (Portadown) - Dupree on for Anderson

61: O'Neill with a strong hand to save Teggart's shot after the Ports player managed to drive from deep, twisting and turning before firing goalwards inside the Ballymena box

55: SUB (Ballymena) - Waide for Parkhouse

54: YELLOW (Portadown) - Tipton

50: Redman with yet another dangerous delivery from deep - but Parkhouse's glancing header drifts wide

46: SUB (Ballymena) - McGrory on for Place

H-T: Portadown 1 Ballymena United 0

49: And the first half ends with one final shot by Ballymena but Barr is down to save Kelly's low drive

47: Great chance for Ballymena during first-half injury-time when Redman heads the ball back across the goal and Keeley meets on the run but his effort clears the crossbar

42: Portadown defend another ball into the home box and Barr is on hand to save the final attempt by Place

36: GOAL - Portadown 1 (Salley) Ballymena United 0

A long-range strike by Salley as he caps his bright start to the game by finding the bottom corner with an ambitious attempt both speculative and spectacular

30: Ruddy with a last-ditch clearance under pressure from Parkhouse during a scramble in the home penalty area

28: Teggart with another attempt as his drive from distance is just past the post - with the opening reward for Ports perseverance, especially from Salley, during build-up play around the box

16: McElroy with another sight of goal - this time from the left-hand side of the penalty area - but his first-time shot off Nelson's ball back proves too high

12: Delightful teasing cross from the left by Redman travels across the box to McElroy at the back post but his close-range shot at a stretch is saved by Barr

7: Ports carve out a promising opening as a deflection drops for Conaty, who finds Salley with a first-time ball down the left and the striker skips past one Ballymena player before cutting it back but Teggart's drive is deflected out

PORTADOWN: Barr, Hall, Ruddy, Tipton, Salley, Anderson, Conaty, McNally, Teggart, Beverland, Stedman.

Subs: Burns, McCallum, Murphy, Doherty, Mashigo, Chatee, Dupree.

BALLYMENA UNITED: O'Neill, Redman, Kelly, McElroy, McCullough, Parkhouse, Loughran, Keeley, Millar, Nelson, Place.

Subs: Johnston, Waide, Kane, Barr, McGrory, Graham, Smith.

Referee: Keith Kennedy