Ballymena Utd 1 - 4 Crusaders

BY SPORTS REPORTER ALEX KEERY

Matthew Shevlin had given the Sky Blues a second half lead, but a double from Paul Heatley – including a spectacular long-range volley – and a goals from Colin Coates and Jordan Forsythe made sure of the points for the Belfast side.

In a lively opening to the match, it was the visitors who looked most likely to threaten, often finding space down the Ballymena left.

Crusaders winger Gavin Whyte was a constant menace, and with 16 minutes on the clock, he played in Billy Joe Burns. The fullback looked ready to square it to Jordan Owens, but he instead chose to shoot, and his effort was tame and easily gathered by Ross Glendinning.

At the other end of the pitch, new Crusaders goalkeeper Brian Jensen was first tested from an unlikely source, as home left back Leroy Millar hammered an effort from 25 yards which the former Burnley man did well to tip beyond his top corner.

Just before the half hour mark, Rodney Brown whipped a Crusaders corner to the back post towards the ever-present aerial threat of Jordan Owens, who could only find the side netting.

In what was becoming a fairly open first half, Ballymena soon went close again as Jim Ervin smashed a cross along the 6 yard box which flashed past a crowd of players when only the slightest touch was needed.

The home side continued to threaten despite having to endure spells of Crusaders possession, and Kyle Owens perhaps should have done better when left free to head a 38th minute Tony Kane corner straight at Jensen.

Crusaders continued to gain ground down the right, and moments later Billy Joe Burns eased clear of Millar before letting fly with a left footed drive from the edge of the box which was nearly touched in by Paul Heatley as it drifted wide.

3 minutes before the break, the visitors’ winger found Owens at the back post, but he headed right into the arms of Glendinning.

Just 5 minutes into the second period, Owens played a precise through-ball in behind the Ballymena defence and Whyte sprinted clear only to slide a right-footed shot wide of the far post, and soon after, Heatley failed with an ambitious effort to chip Glendinning.

It was Ballymena who broke the deadlock though less than 10 minutes into the second period.

18-year-old forward Matthew Shevlin nipped just ahead of the huge frame of Jensen to touch home Kyle Owen’s flick-on after a long throw-in from the right by Conor McCloskey.

However, Crusaders hit back just after the hour mark after a poor piece of judgement by Glendinning. He raced to the edge of his box to punch clear, but it dropped kindly to Lowry, left free to hook the ball back into the box towards Heatley, who calmly placed his effort into an empty goal.

Ballymena’s misery was doubled just one minute later.

The ball suddenly broke from midfield and zipped in behind the Sky Blues’ defence. Heatley entered a footrace with Kyle Owens which was only going to end with one winner, and the defender hauled down the winger to earn himself a straight red card.

In the 79th minute, the Crues made the most of their numerical advantage in spectacular fashion. Heatley took a ball on his chest just outside the box, and when he looked shy of options, he swiveled and hooked a left-footed volley from 20 yards which flew beyond Glendinning and dipped into the top corner.

Returning captain Colin Coates put the result beyond all doubt with 9 minutes to go when he thumped home a close-range header following a corner. In the dying minutes, substitute Jordan Forsythe met Whyte’s cross at the back post to make it 4-1 with a neat header.