Loughgall2–3Ballymena United

Nine-man Ballymena United held onto what they had as they rallied for a huge 3-2 win over Loughgall in an action packed encounter at a wet Lakeview Park on Saturday afternoon.

Jim Ervin made just the one change from last time out when United failed to impress in defeat to Dungannon Swifts, as Josh Carson came back in to start ahead of Alex Gawne. That said, there did appear to be a change in positions, with Ben Kennedy the man up top and Carson often operating just behind him.

It was an extremely wet and slippery surface in County Armagh, with the continuing rain and strong winds making matters worse, but the conditions only added to an unpredictable encounter. The first chance came nine minutes in when a really nice moving involving Donal Rocks and Andy Scott ended with the latter finding Carson arriving in the box, but he was denied by a super Nathan Gartside save.

On fourteen minutes came the game's opening goal, although it was quickly followed by the second a minute later. First, Loughgall led when Adam Towe took the ball from his own half and made his way unchallenged to the Ballymena box, where a deflected effort bundled its way past Sean O'Neill.

The disappointment soon subsided for United though as near enough straight from kick-off a long ball caught up in the wind which did for Lewis Francis and Andrew Scott nipped in to lift the ball over Gartside and in.

Proceedings settled down a bit after the quick-fire goals but in that spell United picked up a couple of bookings that would matter later on, as Josh Carson was cautioned for a late challenge and Ben Kennedy for some off the ball drama.

Before half time the Villagers really should've been back in front when Jordan Gibson knocked down a cross for Nathaniel Ferris at close range, but he somehow blasted wide, before United turned things around right on half time in another mental minute. Both sides were left a little bemused at a number of decisions in the first half, but none more so than when Gartside came to punch the ball but instead appeared to land one on Stephen O'Donnell, though the officials disagreed. Ballymena would still find time to score though, as a great move from Carson and Lafferty saw the full back have a shot well saved, but from the corner when Kennedy's effort was blocked, it fell to Calvin McCurry to slam home and put United back ahead.

Loughgall started the second half well and could easily have levelled four minutes in when Conor McCloskey was slid through, but his weak shot was easily saved. The Sky Blues made the hosts pay for that miss on fifty-two minutes when Kennedy grabbed a third goal. The visitors kept the ball alive from a throw in and a delightful back heel from Carson into the path of Ben Kennedy allowed United's top scorer to slot home through the legs of Gartside.

Just shy of the hour mark, Carson's impressive afternoon was brought to an early end when the midfielder picked up a second yellow card for his second rash challenge of the afternoon, to leave Ballymena two up, but a man down. Three minutes later things got worse when Loughgall pulled a goal back. A cross in from the right was flicked on by Ferris and when Daithi McCallion was under pressure from Jay Boyd, he scuffed his clearance straight into his own net at close range.

The away side had to start riding out some sizeable pressure following the red and goal, as Ferris headed wide a decent chance before McCloskey scored straight from a corner in the swirling wind, but it was ruled out for a foul in the box.

With the weather arguably getting worse and Ballymena holding on heading into the final ten minutes, the task got even harder when United were reduced to nine men. Evan Boyce's notebook was getting quite the workout in what wasn't a particularly dirty game, and when Kennedy was slightly late with a challenge, it seemed to be deemed not enough for a second yellow, before the red appeared after some delay, much to Kennedy's dismay.

The final ten minutes was all Loughgall with United's nine men behind the ball defending a mountain of crosses, but Ballymena stood firm and rarely let the home side in. Ben Murdoch tried something different twice as he had a go from distance, once in particular forcing O'Neill to make a stunning save, but they couldn't breach the stubborn visitors. In the end Ballymena held firm to hold on for an impressive three points, on what was a horrible day weather wise and a frantic, at times confusing, affair on it, to give a decent travelling support an early Christmas present ahead of Boxing Day.