Sports Direct Premiership: Portadown 2 Larne 1
LARNE boss Tiernan Lynch called for his players to stick together after surrendering the lead at Shamrock Park as Shay McCartan scored an 88th minute winner for Portadown from his own half.
Aaron McCarey’s own goal had handed Larne a first half advantage, but it was cancelled out midway through the second by Eamon Fyfe’s header, before McCartan’s spectacular late winner completed the turn around and sealed a 2-1 win.
The result sees Larne’s miserable run continue – with just one win in their last four league games adding to their European woes.
“We’re obviously hugely disappointed,” Lynch said.
“The easiest thing for me to do would be point the finger and blame people, but we have to stick together and regroup.
“We can feel sorry ourselves and talk about the rub of green when things aren’t going your way, like we saw with the winning goals.
“However, we have to stay calm, stay composed and get back on the pitch and turn it around. That’s the message.”
Larne were coming into this one off the back of a disappointing 4-1 defeat to Shamrock Rovers in the UEFA Conference League tie on Thursday and boss Tiernan Lynch rung the changes, with five of his starting line-up changed from that Windsor Park defeat.
The Ports weren’t in the best run of form themselves, having lost three of their last four outings, which saw them come into the game in 9th place, behind Larne on goal difference, having played three games more.
Benji Magee was disappointed not to fire Larne in front on 18 minutes, when a good move down the left saw Levi Ives cross into the box for Andy Ryan to nod it into the path of the incoming Magee, but the ball just wouldn’t sit and he stabbed his effort over the bar.
The deadlock was broken 12 minutes before half-time in somewhat unusual fashion.
Winger Conor McKendry, one of the players Lynch drafted into team, found space 25 yards out following a good spell of possession and he left fly with a drive which came back off the base of the post before hitting goalkeeper Aaron McCarey on the face and rebounding into the net.
It was an unfortunate way for the Ports to go a goal down, having looked solid but just the tonic Larne were looking for in their bid to start climbing the table with games in hand over their title rivals.
Lynch made a double change at half-time, with Matty Lusty and Ryan Nolan entering the fray, however it was Andy Ryan who almost doubled their lead on 56 minutes.
After McKendry had been fouled outside the box, Ryan clipped the resulting free-kick over the crossbar, only to see the ball come crashing back off the outside of McCarey’s right-hand post.
With just one goal in it, the home side were far from out of the contest however and Ahu Obhakhan fired a warning shot just after the hour, which was deflected behind for a corner.
It was a warning which wasn’t heeded as Portadown drew level on 64 minutes. Paul McElroy found time and space on the right flank to draft in a cross and Eamon Fyfe ghosted in to plant his header into the bottom left corner.
The game settled back into the pattern of Larne having most of the ball, but it was Portadown who had the best chance to score next when Fyfe was slipped behind the visitors’ defence only for Rohan Ferguson to pull off a smart save.
The home side then wrapped up the points with a spectacular goal with two minutes left. After a spell of moving the ball around the backline Larne were again robbed in midfield with Shay McCartan picking up the ball a good 15 yards inside his own half and lobbed Rohan Ferguson to claim a vital three points in the most impressive way possible.
Portadown: McCarey, D Wilson, L Wilson, Chapman, McElroy (’83 McDonagh), McCullough, Fyfe, Ukek (’77 Wylie), Obhakhan, McCartan, Thomspon
Subs: Ray, Mayse, Traynor, Mullan, Cowan
Larne: Ferguson, Want (H-T Nolan), Ives, McKendry, Randall (’74 Sloan), Magee (HT Lusty), McEneff, Seary, Bolger, Gallagher (’65 Marsh), Ryan (’65 O’Neill)
Subs: Besant, Graham
Referee: Shane McGonigle
