BALLYMENA United suffered a last gasp-sucker punch as they lost 1-0 to an injury-time Cliftonville goal at the Showgrounds today.

Half of the three minutes of stoppage time allocated by referee Brian Turkington had been played when Reds substitute Daniel Lyons rose at the back post to head home Liam Fleming's cross.

It was a gut-wrenching moment for Ballymena who had twice hit the crossbar - the visitors also hit the woodwork once - in a match which had seemed destined to finish in a scoreless stalemate.

"It was really hard to take," take United boss Tommy Wright, "even Eddie (Patterson) admitted they had stolen it at the end."

United started the game with Gavin Melaugh given his first start on the right hand side of midfield, with regular winger Mark Picking deployed just behind a lone striker in Kevin Kelbie.

The first period was scrappy, with little in the way of clear-cut chances. Gary Haveron headed a Picking corner wide in the third minute, while former United striker Vincent Sweeney curled an effort narrowly wide for the Reds in the 25th minute.

John Connolly was the first of the two keepers to make a meaningful save on 32 minutes when he turned a Kelbie effort behind for a corner. The striker had been put clear by Melaugh but had been forced onto his less favoured right side but still produced a decent effort on target.

Ballymena suffered a blow on 35 minutes when centre-back Gary Haveron had to be helped off with a hamstring injury. He was replaced by midfielder Steven Lowry - signed 24 hours earlier from Limavady - with Melaugh dropping to right-back and Aaron Callaghan switching from full-back to the centre of defence.

The final chance of the first half came in stoppage time when Sean Cleary put Mark Holland in on the right-hand edge of the penalty area but his cross-shot appeared to be heading wide, although Melaugh produced a sliding clearance to make sure.

The second half saw the woodwork hit on three occasions, firstly on 51 minutes when Cleary, having got to the bye-line on the left hand side, drove a cross which smacked off the face of the post, although Paul Murphy appeared to have it covered.

Three minutes later, Stuart King produced a wicked inswinging free kick for United which was clearly touched onto the bar and over by Connolly but referee Turkington awarded a goal kick.

With time running out, Barry Johnston's rising drive was well handled by Murphy, while at the other end, Lee Patrick's 25-yard volley crashed off the bar to safety with Connolly well-beaten.

When Kelbie headed a Lowry cross straight at Connolly in the first minute of added-on time, it appeared to signal the last chance of a goal.

The County Antrim Shield winners had other ideas, however, and skipper Liam Fleming produced a probing right-wing cross. Melaugh, at the back post, was attracted goalwards to prevent Sweeney from getting a header but the ball sailed over both their heads to the back post where Lyons planted a firm downward header under Murphy.

There were unsavoury scenes at the final whistle, seconds later, as players from both sides clashed at the finale of a tense encounter.

Ballymena United: P. Murphy, Callaghan, McClean, Scates, Albert Watson, Haveron (sub Lowry 35), Picking (sub Reid 79), Patrick, Melaugh, Kelbie, King. Sub (not used): McConaghie.

Cliftonville: Connolly, Fleming, R. Scannell, Johnston, O'Hara, McAlinden (sub B. Holland 79), M. Holland, Cleary (sub Lyons 70), Sweeney, McMullan, Kennedy (sub C. Scannell 70).

Referee: Brian Turkington (Belfast).