BALLYMENA United boss Roy Walker admitted his side had spurned "a golden opportunity" after the Sky Blues bowed out of the Co-Operative Insurance Cup.

United followed up their 2-1 first leg deficit by losing by the same score at the Showgrounds, to continue a disappointing sequence of early exits in knockout competitions in recent seasons.

"We had looked at this tie as a good chance to progress but we blew a golden opportunity," Walker told Times Sport.

"We maybe didn't do much in the first leg up there but tonight we simply missed too many chances – we aren't clinical enough in front of goal.

"I could list maybe seven decent chances we created but couldn't finish them and that is what cost us.

"If we weren't creating those chances I would be laying the blame at a different area of the team but quite simply, our strikers were not clinical enough," added Walker.

United's hopes of overturning that one goal deficit suffered a setback on 10 minutes, when Institute winger scored the first of his two goals.

United full-back Lee Colligan miscued his attempted headed clearance and as the ball dropped into Divin's path, the former Ards player struck a crisp 15-yard volley across keeper Dwayne Nelson into the bottom corner.

It took another sumptuous strike from the bang in-form Michael Smith to bring United back into the tie on 24 minutes. He controlled a right wing throw with his left foot on the corner of the penalty area, before producing a measured finish over the head of keeper Gavin Cullen and just below the crossbar – the converted full-back's fourth goal in five games.

Ballymena began to take control and Darren Lockhart was only denied by a late flag from the referee's assistant, while early in the second half, Kelbie headed over from close range.

The fit-again Scottish striker was unfortunate when, after a quickly taken free kick on the right flank had caught the Institute defence sleeping, he cut inside a fired a left-footed shot which clipped the outside of the post.

United continued to spurn openings and were made to pay when Institute put the outcome beyond any doubt with seven minutes left.

Ryan Semple floated a cross from the right flank which eluded everybody except the in-rushing Divin who made the difficult task of volleying home first-time look easy with another assured finish.

Ballymena's misery was compounded in stoppage time when Kelbie fired a penalty over the crossbar after Chris Ramsey had been brought down.

Ballymena United: Nelson, M Smith, Colligan, Ramsey, Watson, Surgenor, Cushley (sub Okunaiya 61), Anderson, McConnell (sub A Smith 61), Kelbie, Lockhart (sub Taggart 46). Subs (not used): Stewart, Carson.

Institute: Cullen, Boyle, Holmes, Scoltock, McClean, Ogilby, Semple, Friars, Ramsey, Brown (sub Lowry 56), Divin. Subs (not used): Blackburn, Seydak, Wray, Bonner.

Referee: Colin Burns (Newtownabbey).