 Gary Hamilton scored the winner five minutes from the end |
Northern Ireland striker Gary Hamilton struck five minutes from time to give Portadown a vital victory at Seaview. Just when it looked like the struggling Crues would hold on, Hamilton struck to give the Ports their first away win since the first day of the campaign.
The result keeps Ronnie McFall's men in third place, four points behind pacesetters Glentoran.
Crusaders are one from bottom, having taken just six points from their nine championship fixtures.
Their central defender Jeff Spiers kept Hamilton quiet for most of the match while Neil Armstrong was in fine form in goals for the Crues.
Crusaders had started brightly with David Magowan and Chris Morrow testing keeper David Miskelly.
But, as the game wore on, Portadown got on top and when hitman Hamilton eventually got free he put away the chance to snatch all three points for the visitors.
Daily Mirror Irish Premier League
Ards 2-0 Omagh Town
Crusaders 0-1 Portadown Institute 3-1 Coleraine Larne 3-2 Dungannon Swifts Limavady 2-1 Ballymena Linfield 5-2 Lisburn Distillery Loughgall 0-0 Cliftonville Newry City 0-4 Glentoran

| 1 | Cliftonville | 23 | 16 | 43 |
|
| 2 | Glentoran | 25 | 9 | 43 |
| 3 | Crusaders | 26 | 0 | 43 |
|
| 4 | Linfield | 23 | 20 | 42 |
| 5 | Dungannon Swifts | 25 | 3 | 40 |
| 6 | Coleraine | 23 | 16 | 39 |
| 7 | Portadown | 23 | 16 | 31 |
| 8 | Glenavon | 24 | -10 | 30 |
| 9 | Newry | 25 | -20 | 27 |
| 10 | Ballymena | 24 | -8 | 26 |
| 11 | Institute | 22 | -12 | 20 |
| 12 | Lisburn Distillery | 23 | -32 | 14 |
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