Walker aims upwards as safety is secured

"We want to catch the team above us," insisted the United boss.

"Institute didn't offer a great deal of resistance but we were pleased to close the gap on Glenavon and we managed to improve our goal difference which is the best by quite a margin of the sides down in that part of the league.

"In a way, we're disappointed with a 3-0 win. We were hard on our team at half-time because it looked typical end-of-season fayre and that's not what we wanted.

"We felt we lacked a bit in all areas. It was a game where if we had really applied ourselves and took better care of the football we could have done better.

"We had a couple of chances in the second half but on one occasion we had a four against two but managed to lose the ball."

Even without Scottish duo Kevin Kelbie and Gary Muir – stranded in their homeland by the grounding of flights – Ballymena had far too much for relegation-threatened Institute.

It was Kelbie's replacement Mark Surgenor who fired United in front from four yards on eight minutes, after Darren Lockhart had got the faintest of touches to Michael Smith's low cross.

Smith was again instrumental in United's second on the half-hour when his fierce shot from a Chris Ramsey cut-back was beaten out by keeper Gavin Cullen into the path of the in-rushing Lee Colligan.

Andy Smith completed the rout a minute before the break, sweeping home a loose ball after Graham Crown's feeble attempt at a headed back-pass.

Ballymena United: Nelson, M Smith, Stewart, Haveron (sub McLaughlin 46), Albert Watson, Aidan Watson, Colligan, Taggart, A Smith (sub Cushley 58), Surgenor, Lockhart (sub Ramsey 24). Subs (not used): Anderson, O'Neill.

Institute: Cullen, Crown, Holmes, McLaughlin, McClean, Seydak, Semple (sub McClements 71), Boyle, Lowry, Divin, Friars (sub McCready 51). Subs (not used): Wray, Blackburn, Ryan.

Referee: Raymond Crangle (Belfast).