Paul McElroy hat-trick haunts former club and keeps Portadown's dream of great escape alive

It marks their second consecutive league win and cuts the gap to 11th-placed Swifts to eight points with nine games to play.

The hosts made a dream start when McElroy fired home within five minutes after controlling a Lee Chapman pass in the box before swivelling to finish smartly past Declan Dunne.

McElroy came within inches of scoring a second moments later only to be denied by the woodwork and teammate Stephen Teggart suffered the same fate in the 22nd minute when his attempt from a tight angle rattled off the frame too.

Niall Currie’s men were flying and the Ports boss would have been wondering how his team were walking in at half-time only one goal to the good with Teggart again denied in the closing moments by Dunne.

Whatever Dungannon manager Dean Shiels said during the break certainly worked as they looked brighter at the start of the second half and just before the hour mark Ethan McGee equalised, converting a Rhyss Campbell cross.

Portadown weren’t behind for long though, responding in perfect fashion through McElroy’s second of the match and he sealed his hat-trick – and what could turn out to be a crucial three points – in the dying minutes from the penalty spot after being fouled by Caolin Coyle.