United restore pride with Shamrock Park win

SEVEN days after the Donegal Celtic debacle, Ballymena restored some pride as they kick-started their Carling Premiership campaign with a stylish win at Portadown.

Four points from United's opening three games wasn't an unrealistic ask before a ball was kicked – but few could have predicted the manner in which that target was achieved, taking the four points from away trips to Linfield and Portadown with the embarassment of a 4-0 home defeat by DC sandwiched in between – how typically Ballymena United!

Manager Roy Walker rung the changes from the DC spanking and they paid off handsomely in a display which was a million miles from the previous week's dirge.

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"It restores your sanity and your belief in players," Walker told Times Sport.

"This week wasn't about talking players up, it was about telling them the truth, that we need players to die with their boots on. We competed and took our chances when they came.

"It's a great result but it wasn't just the result – there was a resilience that had been seen at Windsor Park but which was conspicuous by its absence against Donegal Celtic.

"Without putting too fine a point on it, some of the players who came in gave us that and that was what pleased me.

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"It was a big decision leaving the captain out but I was of the opinion that we needed more mobility in there and some of the midfield combinations we have tried maybe aren't as effective going forward in a central two as they are in a three."

How fitting that it was Mark Surgenor – a locally-based player whose spirit epitomises Walker's plans for the club – who finally broke United's goalscoring duck on 25 minutes, rising highest in the six yard box to head home via the underside of the crossbar after Maurice McDowell had headed Nathan Hanley's touchline free kick back into the danger area.

"It was great delivery from Nathan, Mo kept the ball alive and only Surgy could have won a header like that – he's brilliant at hanging in the air," said Walker.

Hanley's arrival in midweek boosted the manager's midfield options and the former Hull City apprentice capped an excellent debut with United's second goal on the half hour, showing composure to steer a right-foot shot under keeper David Miskelly after his initial effort had been blocked back into Hanley's path off defender Keith O'Hara.

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"Nathan had a good debut – he's strong and tackles low and he didn't panic with his finish," Roy.

With Ballymena fans already enjoying a scoreline that they could have barely envisaged, Walker sprang another surprise at the interval, withdrawing one of a busy five-man midfield in favour of a second striker, Richard Gibson.

"Arguably the biggest decision I had to make was taking Geordie Young off at half-time. It was purely technical – we knew they would come onto us more at 2-0 down so we wanted to give them something to think about and Richard is a handful for defenders."

Instead, it was the Ports who halved the deficit just six minutes after the restart when Ross Redman's cross from the left was headed home by the strangely unmarked Tim Mouncey.

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And when United spurned two glorious chances to restore the two-goal advantage – Albert Watson's free header from a Hanley free kick wide and then Aaron Stewart steering a shot agonisingly the wrong side of the post after a glorious move – visiting fans were beginning to wonder if their afternoon was to have a disappointing ending.

They needn't have worried as Gary McCutcheon picked the perfect moment to notch his first goal in a sky blue shirt with 14 minutes left.

Another Hanley corner caused havoc in the Portadown penalty area and when Denver Gage headed it back towards the danger area, McCutcheon was on hand to nod home from close range before racing to the gleeful travelling supporters.

Extraordinarily, as the striker made his way back to the centre circle, there was a spontaneous burst of applause from the Portadown support – a measure of the esteem in which he is still held for his exploits in a lengthy spell at Shamrock Park before his surprise release in the summer.

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If he can become the first Ballymena striker in many seasons to hit 20+ goals in the top flight, he will certainly enjoy the same legendary status at the Braid.

Portadown: Miskelly, Ramsey (sub Mackle 84), O'Hara, Kelly, Redman, Boyle, Mouncey, Clarke (sub Mccafferty 53), Teggart, Braniff, Lecky (sub Baker 53). Subs (not used): Armstrong, Paget.

Ballymena United: Nelson, Surgenor (sub Haveron 58), Gage, Watson, Stewart, Smith, Young (sub Gibson 46), Taggart, Hanley, McDowell (sub Murray 75), McCutcheon. Subs (not used): Colligan, Carson.

Referee: Brian Turkington (Belfast).

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