Irish Premiership: Glenavon 3-2 Portadown

Mark Patton hit Glenavon's last-gasp winner against his former Portadown team-mates as the Lurgan Blues took their first Mid-Ulster Boxing Day derby victory since 1996 in a thrilling game.

Patton, released by Ronnie McFall last summer, hit the winner after the Ports had levelled from two goals down.

Gary Hamilton and Rhys Marshall goals put Glenavon 2-0 ahead by half-time.

Peter McGrath and Darren Murray netted Ports goals and they missed further chances before Patton's late winner.

The win moves Glenavon up to seventh in the table as they edge ahead of Dungannon Swifts on goal difference.

The Lurgan Blues were full value for their 2-0 advantage at the interval after creating the majority of the first-half chances.

Marshall headed against the Portadown woodwork in the sixth minute and away keeper David Miskelly then had to move smartly to save Hamilton and Bates chances.

Glenavon did have a scare when an Andy Kilmartin back-pass went past keeper Andy Coleman but Marshall got back to make the clearance.

Player-boss Hamilton struck the Lurgan Blues ahead on 40 minutes after he ran onto an Andy McGrory through ball before hammering past Miskelly.

Marshall then added Glenavon's second goal four minutes later as he fired in an overhead kick following a corner.

Kris Lindsay almost added a third Glenavon goal before the interval with Miskelly making another fine save.

However no doubt after a forceful Ronnie McFall team-talk, the Ports were an improved outfit after the break.

McMahon cut Glenavon's lead with a 49th-minute strike with Gary Twigg then hitting the home team's woodwork moments later.

As Portadown continued to press, Murray missed a chance to equalise before his headed effort did level the contest on 56 minutes.

In possibly the key moment of the match, Twigg missed a glorious opportunity to put the Ports ahead on 64 minutes when he failed to hit the target with only Coleman to beat.

As the match ebbed and flowed, McGrory hit the woodwork at the other end before Patton's dramatic late goal, as he ran on to a long ball, sealed Glenavon's dramatic win.