Ballymena United 2
Portadown 1
League (NIFL Premiership)
Ballymena UnitedBallymena United |
2 - 12 - 1 |
PortadownPortadown |
 |
League (NIFL Premiership) |
 |
| Goalscorers | |
|
Paul McElroy (pen.) (48) Steven McCullough (81) |
Billy Steadman (36) |
| Team Managers | |
|
David Jeffrey |
Paul Doolin |
| Starting Eleven | |
|
1. Jordan Williamson 22. Conor Keeley 3. Ross Redman 11. Steven McCullough 14. Jack Henderson 17. Andrew McGrory 28. Kym Nelson 8. Joshua Kelly 10. Ryan Waide 16. Brendan Barr 9. Paul McElroy |
Jethren Barr .19 Greg Hall .2 Michael Ruddy .3 George Tipton .8 Adam Salley .9 Oisin Conaty .14 Patrick McNally .18 Stephen Teggart .20 Howard Beverland .34 Josh Doherty .37 Billy Steadman .40 |
| Bench | |
|
26. Sam Johnston 25. Mal Smith 21. Caolan Loughran 24. Sean Graham 30. Michael Place 33. Jordan McMullan 12. Kenny Kane |
Harry Doherty .1 Adam McCallum .4 Harry Anderson .11 Jamal Dupree .33 Jack Smith .35 Elliott Dugan .39 Katlego Mashigo .41 |
| Substitutions | |
|
Michael Place for Jack Henderson (68) Kenny Kane for Paul McElroy (84) Caolan Loughran for Conor Keeley (84) |
Adam McCallum for Patrick McNally (26) Jack Smith for Oisin Conaty (68) Katlego Mashigo for George Tipton (68) Jamal Dupree for Howard Beverland (84) |
| Cautions | |
|
Steven McCullough (19) Joshua Kelly (29) Jack Henderson (42) |
None. |
| Red Cards | |
| None. | None. |
| Match Officials | |
|
Ian McNabb (Referee) |
Match Report
Ballymena United kept their hunt for a seventh place finish up with a battling win over Portadown at the Showgrounds on Saturday afternoon.
Most of the game was attacking play from the Sky Blues, with chances for Steven McCullough and Ryan Waide going begging before the visitors took the lead with a Billy Stedman header in the 37th minute.
It was nearly two in the depths of first half injury time when Portadown midfielder George Tipton, Jordan Williamson pulling a fine save out of the bag to deny his curling effort.
It took just 2 minutes for United to draw level in the second half, a foul on the edge of the area leading to a penalty which Paul McElroy fired into the top corner of the net.
Brendan Barr had an excellent chance to put the home side ahead on 65 minutes, but Portadown keeper Jethren Barr easily saved.
The game was settled when Steven McCullough scored a cracking goal from a free-kick to put the Braidmen ahead, and despite some pressure from Portadown, the game was to end at 2-1 to United.
Match report written by Paul Irwin (www.ballymenaunitedfc.com)
Squad Statistics (as at April 16th, 2022)
| 2021-2022 | All Time | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | Nat |  |
 |
|
|
|
| Jordan Williamson (GK) | 26 |
|
26 | - | 65 | - |
| Steven McCullough | 27 |
|
36 | 2 | 166 | 7 |
| Ross Redman | 32 |
|
39 | 1 | 81 | 4 |
| Conor Keeley | 24 |
|
35 | 4 | 54 | 8 |
| Joshua Kelly | 23 |
|
11 | - | 82 | 4 |
| Kym Nelson | 26 |
|
15 | 1 | 15 | 1 |
| Jack Henderson | 21 |
|
16 | - | 16 | - |
| Andrew McGrory | 30 |
|
31 | 2 | 120 | 22 |
| Brendan Barr | 20 |
|
33 | - | 33 | - |
| Paul McElroy | 27 |
|
42 | 14 | 84 | 30 |
| Ryan Waide | 22 |
|
37 | 5 | 75 | 9 |
| Caolan Loughran (sub) | 27 |
|
20 | 2 | 53 | 4 |
| Michael Place (sub) | 24 |
|
16 | 3 | 16 | 3 |
| Kenny Kane (sub) | 22 |
|
33 | 4 | 59 | 7 |
League Table (as at April 16th, 2022)
| Pld | W | D | L | +/- | Pts |
|---|
* - Table split into two divisions of six.