Ports level late on to salvage draw against nine-man Ballymena

Irish Premiership Portadown 1 - 1 Ballymena United FT Portadown scored a late equaliser to claim a point in a 1-1 draw with nine-man Ballymena United at Shamrock Park. Mikey Hewitt scored an 87th minute leveller after Ballymena looked to be holding on to a lead given to them by Chris McKee following the first-half dismissal of Igor Rutkowski. Ballymena then had a second player sent off in stoppage time when James Hood picked up two quick bookings. Portadown remain bottom of the Premiership table, three points adrift of Bangor, while Ballymena are in ninth position. After a quiet opening, the game exploded into life on 22 minutes when Rutkowski tussled with Divin Isamala as the pair chased a loose ball. Referee Declan Hassan immediately brandished a red card with video evidence suggesting that the Ballymena player made contact with the Ports defender's head. Undeterred, it was the 10-man visitors who struck the first blow with a classic counter-attacking goal two minutes before the interval. McKee picked up the ball just inside the Portadown half and surged past defender Lewis Mackinnon before firing a low shot across Aaron McCarey and into the bottom corner. Portadown almost levelled on the stroke of half-time when James Teelan's fierce cross-shot was beaten out at the near post by United keeper David Walsh. In the second period, Ballymena defender Matthew Clarke had a low shot saved by McCarey, while Ben Kennedy fired a shot wide for Portadown at the other end. Portadown struggled to create clear-cut openings with Teelan bursting past Fuad Sule but his low shot straight at Walsh. Ballymena threatened a second goal when Hood played in Charlie Allen but the substitute's rising drive hit the side netting. Portadown eventually levelled on 87 minutes when a free kick into the penalty area was headed back across goal by Isamala for Hewitt to volley home at the back post from close range. There was still time for Ballymena to finish with nine men when substitute Hood was sent off deep in injury time.