Dungannon Swifts 2, Ballymena United 3

Victory at Stangmore Park, coupled with a defeat for seventh-placed Glenavon, means the Sky Blues now have an eight-points cushion, as they attempt to finish in the top six for the first time since the ‘split’ format was introduced.

Manager Glenn Ferguson’s January signings Jim Ervin and Darren Boyce again came up trumps with both players marking their full debuts with goals, with Boyce netting the winner against the club where he spent a successful loan spell in the first half of the season.

But United had to do it the hard way, after Jamie Tomelty fired home a seventh minute free kick.

The Sky Blues levelled on 22 minutes when attacking full-back Ervin turned neatly before beating goalkeeper Gareth Buchanan from close range.

United were in front at the interval after Allan Jenkins converted David Cushley’s ball across the box.

Dungannon squared the game nine minutes after the break when former United striker Gary Liggett - who switched to the Tyrone club earlier this month - headed home from a corner via the underside of the bar.

But Boyce hit a marvellous winner with 17 minutes left, with a fantastic finish following a pass from Cushley.

Dungannon Swifts: Buchanan, Lowe, Brennan, McCaffrey, Grieve, Hutchinson, Fitzpatrick (S Lavery, 86), McCullough, Hazley (C Lavery, 77), Tomelty (Glackin, 65), Liggett. Subs not used: McMinn, Brolly.

Ballymena United: Lacroix, Ervin, Munster (McCullagh, 90), Taylor, Stewart, Thompson (Davidson, 76), Kane, Jenkins, Cushley, Boyce, Teggart. Subs not used: Surgenor, Lowry, McLellan