Tim Mouncey headed the Ports in front on 25 minutes when he met the rebound after Reds 'keeper John Connolly did well to save his initial effort.

The Ports thought they had doubled their lead in first half stoppage time only for Jordan Baker's goal to be ruled out offside.

But Ronnie McFall's did go in at the break with a two-goal advantage when, six minutes into added time, Gary McCutcheon turned a left-foot effort from 12 yards into the right side of the net seconds after the Ports had a penalty appeal turned down.

Cliftonville went on the offensive in the second half in an attempt to claw back from their two goal deficit and almost pulled one back early on only for Ciaran Donaghy's point blank effort to be well saved by Daid Miskelly.

Chris Scannell then came close after getting on the end of a Liam Boyce cross but it took the Reds until the 85th minute to find a way through when Miskelly turned a Donaghy cross onto the crossbar with Peter Hutton perfectly placed to turn the rebound into the net.

And they might have snatched a draw right at the death when Mark Holland found himself clear but he could only fire straight at a grateful Miskelly.