Portadown hold the upper hand in their promotion/relegation play-off with Annagh United after coming from behind to win the first leg at the BMG Arena.

The Ports did grab the lead initially when, after 13 minutes, a Josh Doherty free-kick was met by some poor defending to allow Howard Beverland to creep in at the far post to head home from close range.

Annagh hit back with two goals midway through the first half. Lee Upton levelled on 22 minutes after meeting Craig Taylor's long throw-in to touch the ball home.

Then, five minutes after that, former Portadown striker Stephen Murray edged Annagh into the lead with a finish from the edge of the area into the far corner of Jethren Barr's net.

That was how it stayed until the Ports responded with two goals in quick succession themselves.

Stephen Teggart made it 2-2 on 71 minutes with a composed finish after some good work down the wing by Billy Stedman.

And barely two minutes after that Stedman got on the scoresheet too with a curling finish from just inside the area to give the Ports the win on the night and a one goal advantage going into Friday's return at Shamrock Park.

Annagh United: Hughes, McConville, Campbell, Harpur, Henderson, Duffin, Murray, Taylor, Rogers, Upton, Moffatt subs Cusack (not used), McKinney (not used), Norton (replaced Moffatt 65), Carroll (not used), Hunter (replaced Duffin 65), Malone (not used), McCullough (not used)

Portadown: Barr, Hall, Ruddy, McCallum, Tipton, Salley, Conaty, Teggart, Beverland, Doherty, Stedman subs Burns (not used), Finnegan (replaced Stedman 90+3), Anderson (not used), Murphy (not used), Smith (replaced Doherty 65), Mashigo (replaced Tipton 56), Emerson (not used)