Ballymena United4–2Warrenpoint

BALLYMENA United defeated Warrenpoint Town at the Showgrounds today, Allan Jenkins grabbing a hat-trick.

The opening stages of the game were fairly mundane, Warrenpoint with the first chance as Sean Donnelly just failed to get on the end of a Mark Hughes cross. It took 11 minutes for United to create a chance after Stephen McBride was awarded a free kick.

Tony Kane put it into the box but the ball was headed over by Johnny Taylor. In the 17th minute Willie Faulkner crossed from the right but nobody was able to connect with it and it flew right across the box. At the other end Alan Blayney attempted to clear the ball and it bounced of Stephen Murray, but lady luck was on United's side and it went harmlessly away from goal.

On 18 minutes David Cushley took a free kick from about 30 yards out but it went wide of the poast. Moments later Cushley sent a shot flying towards the goal but Warrenpoint keeper Jonathan Parr was alert to the danger and made the save. With 31 minutes on the clock Jim Ervin played the ball towards Alan Jenkins but it was cleared by the defence. 2 minutes later Stephen Moan prevented a Johnny Taylor goal on the line using his hand and was immediately dismissed by referee Andrew Davey, Jenkins converting the penalty.

Moments later Faulkner had a chance to double the lead but Parr was equal to it and palmed it away. With 36 minutes gone, Cushley had the ball in the net but it was disallowed for a foul in the build-up. The Sky Blues were still playing good football and striving for the second goal, but couldn't manage it before the break.

4 minutes into the second half Cushley had another chance but he fired both high and wide from range. The second goal finally came for United on 51 minutes, Kane passing to Cushley who sent the ball across the box for Jenkins to tap in. 5 minutes later Jenkins had his hat-trick after a left foot shot from a Faulkner cross hit the back of the net.

Warrenpoint started coming into the game and in the 68th minute Murray got their opening goal, Kyle McVey just failing to prevent it with a last ditch challenge. With 15 minutes left the visitors got a second goal after the Ballymena defence was all over the place and Murray grabbed his second goal. Soon after Matthew Shevlin fired a shot at an open goal and the ball his one post, travelled across the goal and hit the other one, then bounced back out to the astonishment of the already cheering Sky Blue fans.

United sealed the victory in the 80th minute when a great Parr save rebounded into the path of substitute Kyle McVey who sent it into the net.