Portadown's 97th minute winner sparks Brandywell pitch invasion as 10 men Institute left distraught

TEN MAN Institute were dealt a bitter blow in their quest for promotion to the Irish Premiership as Portadown substitute Eoghan McCawl netted a 97th minute winner in a tense top of the table clash at Brandywell.

With just two games remaining before the split, the last-gasp victory leaves the Reds level on 55 points with Kevin Deery's troops who will be devastated at how they lost this clash after such a gutsy effort with a numerical disadvantage for more than 90 minutes.

McCawl's winner sparked wild celebrations but the pitch invasion by a large section of travelling Portadown supporters which followed left a bitter taste in the mouths of Institute players and officials and were considered excessive bearing in mind there's still quite some way to go in the race for the NIFL Championship title.

There may well be ramifications for Portadown for the conduct of their fans as the pitch incursion which was noted in the referee's report.

While the large travelling contingent returned to Portadown with three significant points intact after their League Cup Final disappointment last week, Institute players were laid out on the Brandywell pitch wondering how they managed to let slip what would've been a well earned point if not more.

With just three points separating the two sides positioned in third and fourth places in the Championship table prior to kick-off, there was much riding on this result for both.

And it was the worst possible start for the home side who found themselves down to 10 men with five minutes on the clock.

Experienced left-back Danny Lafferty was shown a straight red card for bringing Eamon Fyfe tumbling down just outside the penalty area after the midfielder got in behind the 'Stute defence. Lafferty was the last man but felt aggrieved as he made his way down the tunnel as Fyfe appeared to be off balance before the contact.

Despite being a man down it was 'Stute who took the lead into the half-time interval after BJ Banda was brought down inside the penalty area by Portadown keeper Aaron Hogg.

Up stepped Mikhail Kennedy who confidently sent the keeper the wrong way from the resultant spotkick for his eighth goal of the campaign - his third from the spot!

Aaron Traynor equalised from close range after a mistake from 'Stute keeper Gareth Muldoon on 50 minutes but Michael Harris could so easily have won it for the home side when he headed wide from Jamie Dunne's free-kick.

And with seven minutes added on time on the clock Muldoon cleared towards the edge of the area where McCawl fired goalwards and the ball bounced off the pitch and into the net to the despair of the home support.

It will no doubt take some time to heal from the manner of this defeat but Kevin Deery will have to pick his team up for two games in quick succession on the road away to H&W Welders next week before a midweek trip to title contenders Bangor.

It was always going to be an uphill battle for 'Stute after that sending off with Oisin Devlin moving into a right back position and Caoimhinn Porter slotting into left-back to replace Lafferty.

However, 'Stute didn't allow that early setback deter them and they showed real composure to play their way around the Portadown press.

There were opportunities for 'Stute in the final third and Banda tried his luck when space opened up 25 yards from goal but his well hit strike was saved comfortably by Hogg.

From a throw-in Paul McElroy overturned possession and the 'Stute defence breathed a collective sigh of relief as his arrowed strike from an angle tipped over superbly by Muldoon.

Muldoon did brilliantly once again on 42 minutes when Luke Wilson played a searching ball over the top to find the run of Ryan Mayse and the forward's first time strike from 18 yards was palmed away.

On a quick counter attack Harris' throughball had just too much pace for Kennedy but Banda got in front of the last defender and knocked it around the keeper who brought the former Finn Harps man crashing down inside the penalty area.

The referee pointed to the spot and flashed a yellow card to Hogg - a decision which infuriated the 'Stute defence who felt he should've been given his marching orders.

Up stepped Kennedy to take responsibility from 12 yards and he made no mistake with a clinical finish which sent Hogg the wrong way on the stroke of half-time.

Portadown were level five minutes after the break following a mistake from the 'Stute keeper.

From a short corner, Mayse whipped in a cross into a crowded six yard box and Muldoon sliced his attempted punch and Traynor reacted quickest to poke the ball over the line.

It was a disastrous start for the home outfit and it could've been worse on 76 minutes when McElroy chased down the ball but his low strike was saved by the outstretched foot of Muldoon.

Stute had a glorious chance to win the match on 86 minutes from substitute Dunne's inswinging free-kick from the edge of the box but Harris' header went wide of the mark.

In a cruel blow for Deery's young side, Portadown sub, McCawl fired into the net through a body of legs from 18 yards in the seventh minute of stoppage time as the Reds joined level with 'Stute on 55 points. Queue those robust celebrations ‘Stute will no doubt use as motivation when they meet again.

Institute: Muldoon; Porter, King, Leppard, Lafferty; BJ Banda (Carlin 65), McGinty (Dunne 75), Mullan (Boyle 65), Devlin, Harris (McKinney 89); Kennedy (McLaughlin 75); Subs Not Used - Doherty, Burke.

Portadown; Hogg; D. Wilson (Montgomery 29), L. Wilson, Chapman, McElroy, Mayse, Kane (McCawl 62), Fyfe (Barr 72), Henderson (Russell 62), Traynor, Thompson; Subs Not Used - Buchanan, Redman, Diau

Referee Ryan Hanna.