STORY OF THE MATCH: Portadown 0 Ballymena United 1
Ethan Devine’s first-half finish proved decisive as Ballymena United registered a sixth successive victory to finish in front away to Portadown.
88: YELLOW (Ballymena) - Kennedy
85: SUB (Ballymena) – O'Donnell on for Scott
82: Altintop header inside the box but it lacks the power to test O’Neill
81: SUB (Portadown) - Fyfe on for Obhakhan
78: Stewart clear on goal and moves past McCarey but too wide and Portadown recover to block the cutback
75: SUBS (Portadown) - Mullan, D.Wilson, Wylie on for McCaw, Mayse, Ukek
75: SUBS (Ballymena) - Browne and Stewart on for Rocks and Devine
70: McCawl’s ball into the box is met on the run by McCullough but his sidefoot connection falls for O’Neill
60: SUB (Ballymena) – Moore on for McCurry
55: Mayse picks up possession in a good position but his angled effort is the wrong side of the post
47: Mayse swivels on a loose ball inside the box but his attempt is blocked
H-T: Portadown 0 Ballymena United 1
45: GOAL: Portadown 0 Ballymena United 1 (Devine)
Carson’s teasing cross is met by Devine and his looping header drifts across the target then drops beyond McCarey into the corner
44: Neat footwork again by Ukek to cap a patient passing move but Wilson is unable to connect under pressure at the far post
40: Show of strength and skill by Ukek as he attempts to attack from the left then drifts across and eventually fires off a shot from the right that proves just too high
34: YELLOW (Portadown) - McCawl
30: Ukek twisting and turning inside the penalty area but his near-post shot is saved by O'Neill
19: Mayse delivery is steered back into the danger area by Ukek and Obhakhan fires goalwards on the turn but his shot is blocked inside the packed penalty box
18: YELLOW (Ballymena) - Devine
11: SUB (Portadown) - L.Wilson on for Thompson
10: Play is then stopped by referee Ross Dunlop and, following treatment, Gary Thompson leaves the pitch
8: Carson's corner-kick falls for McCallion but his shot is blocked by McCullough
4: Early Ballymena opening as Rocks delivers from the right but Kennedy's glancing header clears the crossbar
PORTADOWN: Aaron McCarey, Baris Altintip, Lewis MacKinnon, Lee Chapman, Eogan McCawl, Rya Mayse, Steven McCullough, Josh Ukek, Ahu Obhakhan, Shay McCartan, Gary Thompson.
Subs: Jamie Ray, Dougie Wilson, Luke Wilson, Paul McElroy, Eamon Fyfe, Ben Wylie, Liam Mullan.
BALLYMENA UNITED: Sean O’Neill, Kym Nelson, Daniel Lafferty, Donal Rocks, Aaron Jarvis, Ben Kennedy, Andrew Scott, Calvin McCurry, Daithi McCallion, Ethan Devine, Joshua Carson.
Subs: Samuel Johnston, Alexander Gawne, Joseph Moore, Stephen O’Donnell, Sean Brown, Noah Stewart, Oisin Devlin.
Referee: Ross Dunlop.