They had to come from a goal down to do so after the Ports moved in front at the very end of the first half after former Larne striker Gary McCutcheon flicked the ball over keeper Chris Keenan.

It was no less than the Ports deserved. They might have taken a first minute lead when Wesley Boyle was denied by a superb Keenan stop while soon after Alan Teggart fired straight at the keeper when well placed.

Larne almost levelled six minutes after the break when Colm Kearney fired low to the left of Kevin Pressman.

And it was Kearney who was eventually to grab the equaliser in the 75th minute when he curled the ball into the top corner from the edge of the area when there appeared to be little on.

The Ports might have regained the lead late on through a glancing Allan Smart header but Paul Curran's Larne held on to salvage what could be a vital point come the final shakedown.