The opening 45 minutes were a somewhat lukewarm affair at Shamrock Park with the pick of what was created falling to the Whites with Andy Kilmartin twice coming close early on while, towards the break, John Martin skimmed the bar.

The Ports did find the net twice in the first half though but each of Allan Smart's efforts fell foul of the offside rule.

It was the Whites, however, who eventually broke the deadlock on 62 minutes through Darren Armour when he got on the end of a Marty Verner through ball to send a low shot past Kevin Pressman.

Remarkably, nine minutes later, Portadown had yet another goal ruled offside when Gary McCutcheon headed home while not long after a Michael Collins effort was nodded off the line by Michael Ferguson.

And the Ports came closer still on 78 minutes when McCutcheon headed against an upright.