Tiernan Lynch expects to come up against a very different Ballymena

Lynch’s men were in sparkling form that night, but after the Sky Blues ended Cliftonville’s unbeaten start to the season last week he is expecting a very different proposition today.

“I watched Ballymena against Cliftonville last Saturday and they were a completely different team,” he told the club website.

“They were more like a David Jeffrey team, they were solid and they had a real work ethic about them.

“Arguably they deserved the three points.

“Tuesday is gone. We certainly won’t be getting another day like that.

“Anything we get we’re going to have to really work for.

“Their three points against the league leaders will have given them huge confidence.

“Football is very much about confidence, and they would love the opportunity to turn us over.”

Larne had to make do with a point in their big encounter with Linfield on Monday night, and lynch admitted the Blues’ late equaliser made it feel a bit like a defeat.

“I thought we bossed the game from start to finish and got stronger and stronger as it went on,” he said.

“But it felt a bit like a defeat straight afterwards as we didn’t hold on for the win.”