Irish Premiership: Ben Doherty spot on as Coleraine close in on Linfield

Greg Hall (left) was penalised for handball by referee Ross Dunlop

Coleraine moved to within two points of Irish Premiership leaders Linfield after a 2-0 victory over Portadown at the Showgrounds.

Ben Doherty netted both goals from the penalty spot, the first coming on 17 minutes when Greg Hall was harshly penalised for a handball.

Doherty converted his second spot kick with 10 minutes to go when Hall brought down Eoin Bradley.

Oran Kearney’s men remain unbeaten in 2021 with the win.

Curtis Allen hooked an effort wide from Matthew Shevlin’s ball in the early stages but Portadown’s threat on the counter-attack was highlighted when Lee Bonis out-muscled Aaron Canning and fired just wide, however referee Ross Dunlop brought play back for a foul.

Doherty fired straight at Jacob Carney but the returning winger got his first goal since a collarbone injury when Dunlop pointed to the spot when Allen’s shot came off the arm of Hall, who was unfortunate to be punished from the close-range effort.

Portadown protested the decision but the ever-reliable Doherty stepped up and hit a powerful penalty to Carney’s left.

Bonis should have brought Matthew Tipton’s side level when he raced on to Canning’s wayward header but the forward put his low shot wide before his barren night continued when his effort bobbled wide from the edge of the area.

Portadown’s best chance fell to Adam Salley 10 minutes before half-time. Bonis’ shot was parried by Gareth Deane but only into the path of Salley, however the forward was off-balance and his heavy touch let him down and the ball bounced out of play.

The second half was extremely uneventful with the only chances of note coming from Shevlin’s header, which was saved by Carney five minutes into the second half, before Jamie Glackin hit the side netting from a tight angle.

Doherty wrapped up the points with 10 minutes to play when Dunlop adjudged Hall fouled Bradley, who fell theatrically in the area, and the winger tucked away his second goal of the game.

Lyndon Kane had an effort saved by Carney from close range after latching on to Adam McCallum’s poor back-pass in injury-time but the three points were already secured for Kearney’s outfit.