STORY OF THE MATCH: Portadown 1 Loughgall 0 - Steven McCullough's early free-kick magic seals derby
Steven McCullough’s early free-kick finish proved decisive in the derby as Portadown got back to winning ways after a four-game losing streak with a single-goal success over Premiership basement side Loughgall.
92: Loughgall have a goal ruled out as Cartwright’s throw-in is guided home by McCloskey inside the packed penalty area – only for a raised flag to halt the visitors’ celebrations
89: SUB (Loughgall) – McCloskey on for Rea
86: SUB (Portadown) - McElroy on for Fyfe
83: SUBS (Loughgall) – Ferris and Waide on for Towe and Boyd
82: SUB (Portadown) - Mullan on for Wilson
81: YELLOW (Loughgall) – Gibson
81: YELLOW (Portadown) - Thompson
72: Neat build-up play involving Balde and Towe but Portadown race out to block McAleer’s final shot
67: SUB (Loughgall) - Norton on for Hoey
64: Clever turn by McCartan takes two Loughgall players out of the play but his attempt to cap it with an ambitious chip ends up in the arms of Gartside
63: YELLOW (Loughgall) - Hoey
60: YELLOW (Portadown) – Obhakhan
57: YELLOW (Portadown) - Fyfe
52: McCartan shifts the ball to create space for a strike but Gartside pulls off a smart save
48: McCullough drives forward but Gartside shows firm hands to push the effort wide
46: Early second-half sight of goal as Obhakhan shows strength to win back possession off Francis but Murdock is across in the penalty box with a firm block before the Portadown striker can release his shot
H-T: Portadown 1 Loughgall 0
48: McCartan drives forward and sends a pass out wide, with Fyfe racing on to meet and the low cross is then steered goalwards on the run by McCartan but a diving save from Gartside turns the attempt wide of his right-hand post
46: McAleer free-kick met by a glancing Murdock header which drops wide
45: McAleer's initial free-kick is blocked by the wall but the ball drops for Gibson and he moves it on to Rea, with the first-time curling cross towards the back post met by Boyd but Portadown survive to scramble clear
41: Thompson intercepts a Loughgall attack then finds Obhakhan, with his flick into McCartan's path but the visitors recover to gain a crucial touch on the attempted pass to release Fyfe
36: Golden opportunity for a Loughgall equaliser as Traynor fails to clear the danger, McAleer knocks it past the out-rushing McCarey but the angle proves too wide and his effort is the wrong side of the post and empty net
29: McAleer snapshot on the turn from outside the box deflects wide for a corner-kick
24: YELLOW (Portadown) – Chapman
22: Clever control by Fyfe then he combines with McCartan but the final shot from a wide angle clears the crossbar
19: YELLOW (Loughgall) – Murdock
18: Searching pass forward by Rea but Altintop strong to cover as McAleer attempts to carve out a sight of goal
8: Low Fyfe cross from the right deflects into the path of McCullough but his first-time shot lacks power
3: GOAL - Portadown 1 (Steven McCullough) Loughgall 0
Delightful left-foot curling free-kick from outside the area that finds the top corner despite Nathan Gartside's full-stretch dive
PORTADOWN: Aaron McCarey, Baris Altintop, Lewis MacKinnon, Luke Wilson, Lee Chapman, Steven McCullough, Eamon Fyfe, Aaron Traynor, Ahu Obhakhan, Shay McCartan, Gary Thompson.
Subs: Jamie Ray, Douglas Wilson, Paul McElroy, Ryan Mayse, Ben Wylie, Jay Riley, Liam Mullan.
LOUGHGALL: Nathan Gartside, Jamie Rea, Ben Murdock, Andrew Hoey, Caolan McAleer, Jordan Gibson, Luke Cartwright, Alberto Balde, Lewis Francis, Jay Boyd, Adam Towe.
Subs: Berraat Turker, Ryan Waide, Nathaniel Ferris, Robbie Norton, Conor Kerr, Ben Harvey, Conor McCloskey.
Referee: Evan Boyce.