PORT Glasgow got off to a perfect start in their league campaign with this victory at Forth Wanderers.

The home side did have some chances, including a late penalty, but overall it was the Port who were the dominant side, and the winning margin could have been greater than Jo-Jo Connolly’s spot-kick.

It was all Port Glasgow in the opening period, with Scott Nugent almost opening the scoring early on when he lobbed home keeper Glenn Weir but saw the ball go just over the bar.

Craig McCormick then came close with a shot which whistled just wide, but the Port’s pressure eventually paid off on 23 minutes when they were awarded a penalty after a rash tackle by veteran Jim Dick on Ross Kearns.

It was a needless foul as the ball was on the bye-line, with the young Port player going nowhere, but Connolly calmly sent Weir the wrong way from the spot. Nugent then brought out a fine save from the Forth keeper, but the home side did briefly threaten in the run up to half-time, when Martin Harty had the ball in the net after 39 minutes.

The Forth man had raced on to a long ball from defence and directed a powerful header past Port keeper Robbie Graham, but the referee adjudged him to be offside, much to the annoyance of the home support. The Wanderers came more into the game in what was a much more evenly-balanced second half.

Port keeper Graham was called into action with an excellent double save, first from a shot then from the rebound.

And at the other end Weir was being kept equally busy, touching a fierce shot from Brendan Grana on to the post and out for a corner on 75 minutes.

Then with 12 minutes remaining Forth were awarded a penalty when Tony Traynor was sandwiched in the box by the combined efforts of Eddie Walton and Craig McCormick, and the referee pointed to the spot. Jamie Lindsay stepped up, but keeper Graham threw himself to his right to turn the ball away.

Forth continued to press for an equaliser, committing men forward and leaving them susceptible to a quick Port break. From one of those, Nugent found himself through on Weir and tumbled to the ground under a challenge, only for the referee to book the striker for an alleged dive.

Forth exerted more pressure in the final minutes, but the Port defence was resolute and they held out for victory, ending the match in attack with an Alan Jamieson shot turned round the post by Weir in stoppage time.

Port manager Craig Brown said: ‘’First and foremost this was a great result for us, as I don’t think many teams will go to Forth and come away with three points. However, we had countless chances to kill the game off but never took them, and that nearly cost us. Thankfully, though, Robbie pulled off a great save from the penalty, and in the end we deserved our victory.’’ PORT GLASGOW: Graham, Grana, Coyle, Walton, McClement, Gault, Kearns (Pettigrew 65), Connolly (Jamieson 60), Nugent, Sharpe (Black 80), McCormick. Subs not used: McKay, McAfee.

Port Glasgow Juniors are sponsored by Regents Vehicle Sales, Greenock, and MAC HSL Ltd.