PORTS DEFEAT WELDERS TO GO SIX CLEAR
Portadown produced a workmanlike performance at Tillysburn Park to defeat HW Welders and stretch their lead at the top to six points.
They moved in front on the quarter-hour when Ryan Carmichael's through ball took a deflection into the path of Lee Bonis who made no mistake in beating Jay McPhee.
Adam Salley made it 2-0 on 31 minutes. The Ports broke at pace with Chris Lavery picking out Salley to head home at the back post.
The Welders pulled one back five minutes later through Luckas Gwiazda who popped up six yards out to finish past Daniel Devine.
David Graham twice came close for the Welders after the break with right-foot efforts but, on 56 minutes, Liam McKenna restored Portadown's two-goal advantage with a 20-yard drive beyond McPhee.
Paddy McNally almost made it 4-1 with a header while Gwiazda was denied by a goalline clearance at the other end.
Salley doubled his tally two minutes from time from the spot after Lavery had been upended before, right at the end, Graham did eventually find the net for the Welders.
HW Welders: McPhee, McMurtry, Harris, Wright, Spence, Deans, Graham, Arthurs, Gwiazda, Ferguson, Davidson subs Nelson (replaced Gwiazda 81), Grierson (not used), McMurray (not used), Harrison (not used), Nixon (not used)
Portadown: Devine, Crane, Finnegan, Lavery, McKenna, Salley, Tipton, Carmichael, McNally, Teggart, Bonis subs McCallum (replaced Carmichael 41), Bradley (not used), Duke (not used), McGrandles (not used), Ferris (replaced Bonis 85)
Substitution 
Substitution 
