Ballymena United 0, Warrenpoint Town 1

Ballymena United’s inconsistent form continued as they slumped to a 1-0 home defeat by Warrenpoint Town.
Ballymena United  Aaron Stewart tussles for possession with Warrenpoint Town's Liam Bagnall during today's Danske Bank Premiership match at Ballymena Showgrounds. Picture: Press Eye.Ballymena United  Aaron Stewart tussles for possession with Warrenpoint Town's Liam Bagnall during today's Danske Bank Premiership match at Ballymena Showgrounds. Picture: Press Eye.
Ballymena United Aaron Stewart tussles for possession with Warrenpoint Town's Liam Bagnall during today's Danske Bank Premiership match at Ballymena Showgrounds. Picture: Press Eye.

The Sky Blues produced another lack-lustre performance at the Warden Street Showgrounds as the top-flight new boys claimed only their second win of the campaign.

A slip by United defender Mark McCullagh, when he let a through ball slip under his foot, almost presented Daniel Hughes with an opening for Warren point inside five minutes but United keeper Dwayne Nelson was quickly off his line to force the striker wide of goal.

United’s first opening came on 16 minutes when David Cushley collected Michael Ruddy’s angled cross and cleverly turned a defender but Johnny Parr beat out his effort.

The Warrenpoint keeper did even better five minutes later when he produced a fabulous reflex save to deny Alan Teggart, who had arrived at the back post following an Allan Jenkins knock-down.

Ballymena produced a series of telling crosses across the face of the Warrenpoint box but there was no-one on hand to apply a finishing touch.

From one of them, an Alan Teggart centre from the left, Allan Jenkins arrived too early and miscued his header wide of the mark.

The visitors went ahead four minutes into the second half when Stephen McCabe’s run and cross from the left resulted in a simple finish for Stephen Hughes, who had only come as a sub at the interval.

Glenn Ferguson threw on striker Shane Dolan and Michael McLellan from the bench in the search for an equaliser and it almost came from an unlikely source as Johnny Taylor arrived at the back post to meet Tony Kane’s free kick but he couldn’t get enough power to force the ball past Parr.

ANother Jenkins knock-down set up an openng for Shane Dolan but his effort was blocked behind by a defender but United made a poor effort at gaining anything from the game and thet remain in the lower reaches of the league table.

Ballymena United: Nelson, Kane, McCullagh, Taylor, Ruddy, Stewart, Thompson (sub Davidson 67), Jenkins, Cushley, Liggett (sub McLellan 65), Teggart (sub DOlan 65). Subs (not used): Taggart, Munster.

Warrenpoint Town: J Parr, King, S Parr, D Hughes (sub Havern 77), McCabe, Bagnall, M Hughes, Moan, Boyle, Devlin (sub Smith 66), Grant (sub S Hughes 46). Subs (not used): Cowan, Kearns.

Referee: Andrew Davey (Bangor)

* For full reaction and analysis, see Tuesday’s Ballymena Times.

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