KRIS LINDSAY: First point for Dungannon Swifts boss in battling draw with Ballymena United

Ballymena enjoyed the perfect start by breaking the deadlock with around two minutes on the clock thanks to set-piece success.

Tony Kane’s corner-kick delivery from the left was eventually steered home by Kofi Balmer at the back post.

United produced some sparkling football across the opening stages and Alex Moore was forced into two fine first-half stops overall - the first a point-blank reaction stop to deny Cathair Friel then down low to deny Andy McGrory’s drive from outside the area.

However, the Swifts’ confidence increased as play progressed before the break and the top-flight’s bottom side got back on track on 17 minutes.

Persistence by Daniel Hughes left United disrupted in defence and Douglas Wilson spread play for Kris Lowe to clip a cross into the danger area that Ryan Harpur steered home inside Ross Glendinning’s left-hand upright.

A frantic few moments in the second half featured sights of goal for either side when Paul McElroy was unable to gain a clean strike from a promising position in the box then Ballymena’s counter was capped by a Friel drive that clipped the crossbar.

BALLYMENA UNITED: R.Glendinning, Kane (Mayse, 67), Addis, Friel, Knowles (Reece Glendinning, 79), McCullough, McGrory, Balmer, Ervin, Lecky, Millar.

Subs (not used): McCauley, Whiteside, Faulkner, Nolan, Farrelly.

DUNGANNON SWIFTS: Moore, Dykes, Hegarty, Wilson, Clucas, Hughes, McElroy, Harpur, Teggart, O’Rourke, Lowe.

Subs (not used): Addis, Armstrong, McMullan, Patton, Lafferty, Campbell Smyth.

Referee: Lee Tavinder.