VIDEO: ‘Derby’ victory ‘not one for the purist’, admits Ferguson

Glenn Ferguson admitted that the result in Saturday’s ‘derby’ victory over Coleraine was more important than the perfoamnce.
Glenn Ferguson expresses his displeasure at a decision to referee Keith Kennedy. Picture: Press Eye.Glenn Ferguson expresses his displeasure at a decision to referee Keith Kennedy. Picture: Press Eye.
Glenn Ferguson expresses his displeasure at a decision to referee Keith Kennedy. Picture: Press Eye.

“I’m just happy to get the result,” said ferguson after Darren Boyce’s second minute header separated the sides in a disappointing encounter at Ballycastle Road.

“It certainly wasn’t a game for the purist - there wasn’t too much exhilarating football played.

“I don’t think Tim Allen was put under too much pressure and he didn’t have any real top class saves to make.

Glenn Ferguson expresses his displeasure at a decision to referee Keith Kennedy. Picture: Press Eye.Glenn Ferguson expresses his displeasure at a decision to referee Keith Kennedy. Picture: Press Eye.
Glenn Ferguson expresses his displeasure at a decision to referee Keith Kennedy. Picture: Press Eye.

“We got the early goal and held on but Matthew Shevlin came on and could have two himself in the last 15 minutes.

“Keeping a clean sheet was the key because we haven’t had too many this season. I emphasised again to the boys that, having got 1-0 up, if we could keep a clean sheet in the second 45 minutes we would win the game and the players defended very, very well.

“The boys worked hard, it was a desperately hard pitch to play on and both sets of players deserve credit for trying to play.

“There were moments in the game where we tried to play and other moments where it just had to go long - the pitch dictated that.

The surface was as poor as it has been in a long time so it was important to do the right things at the right times and get up the road with three points.

The back four gave Tim good protection and when he was called upon, he was excellent once again.

After we scored so early, Coleraine had a bit of control and we let them back into it when we should have pushed on. But it’s about making sure you don’t give anything away and we managed to do that.

On Ian Parkhill’s disallowed goal for Coleraine, Ferguson said: “The most important thing is that the linesman thought it was offside.

“There was one earlier where their player went through and, without exaggerating, he looked six yards offside and the linesman didn’t gve it.

“It’s sweet for me as a manager beating any team because you get three points for it, no matter who it’s against.

“But bragging rights are a big things for fans and this year, after a period of about five years where Ballymena didn’t win too many of them, thankfully we’ve been able to turn it around a bit this year,” added Ferguson

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