BALLYMENA United produced a heroic performance before eventually going down 3-1 to Premiership visitors Manchester City tonight.

A sell-out crowd of 5,000 saw United hold the English giants to 1-1 before eventually succumbing to two goals inside the final seven minutes.

When Antoine Sibierski headed City in front inside the opening quarter-hour, a repeat of the 7-1 drubbing handed out by Bolton Wanderers - the last English side to visit the Showgrounds - must have entered the minds of United's supporters.

Instead, though, Gary Haveron levelled for Ballymena before the interval and the Irish League side more than held their own in the second period before City's superior fitness told in the end.

"It was a fantastic occasion and I was so proud of my players," said United boss Tommy Wright.

"There was enough quality to ensure that a fantastic crowd went home happy and it was a night when we showed a lot of character which will hopefully help us kick-start our season."

City stamped their authority on the game in the early stages with United keeper Paul Murphy producing a brilliant save to turn Joey Barton's free kick around the post in the second minute.

But the visitors eventually went in front on 15 minutes when Barton's corner kick was powerfully headed home by French midfielder Sibierski.

As United eventually began to gain a foothold in the game - Aidan Watson's midfield tussle with Barton was an eye-catching side-show - they began to grow in confidence with Gary Haveron's free-kick deflecting off Georgios Samaras and clipping the outside of the post on its way past.

Austin Friel was next to test City goalkeeper Joe Hart with a clever turn and shot which the keeper parried behind on 40 minutes but from the resultant Friel corner, Haveron's header found the net via a deflection.

The second half was punctuated by a succession of substitutions - the most eye-catching of which was City manager Stuart Pearce bringing himself on and it was Pearce who came close to restoring City's lead on 80 minutes when he played a one-two with Samaras but his shot came back off the legs of substitute keeper Stuart Addis.

But with 83 minutes on the clock, City edged back in front when Ousmane Dabo's cross-field ball was headed down by Samaras for Italian Bernardo Corradi to fire home.

And in the final minute, former England full-back Danny Mills gae the scoreline a flattering look when he took a short corner from Barton and cut inside before firing a low, left-footed drive under Addis.

The result mattered little, however, on a night which will live long in the memory of football fans in Ballymena and further afield.

Ballymena United: P Murphy (sub Addis 73), Albert Watson, Boyd, Patrick (sub Scates 55), Simms, Haveron (sub Melly 66), Picking (sub Fitzgerald 61), Aidan Watson (sub Rosbotham 68), Friel, Kelbie (sub Brown 52), D Murphy (sub Phillips 84).

Manchester City: Hart, Trabelsi (sub Distin 46), Jordan, M Mills, Dabo, D Mills, Miller (sub Pearce 49), Barton, Samaras, Corradi, Sibierski (sub Sinclair 33). Sub (not used): Weaver.

Referee: Michael Ross (Carrickfergus).