Tommy Wright reshuffled his pack after the tame performance in the defeat to Linfield last weekend; with Nigel Boyd, Kevin Kelbie, David Cushley and Gavin Melaugh all starting for the Sky Blues.

It was Ballymena who started brightly controlling the play, as Kevin Kelbie forced Glenavon's Caribbean goalkeeper, Tuda Murphy, into a save, as the Scot turned a defender before rifling a left footed shot into the top corner, which Murphy tipped over.

With sixteen minutes elapsed, the visitors made their deserved breakthrough. Some neat build up play, released Garth Scates down the left flank and he cut the ball back to Kelbie who fired the moving ball into the back of the net with his left foot, for his first goal of the season.

United continued to press with David Cushley and Nigel Boyd marking their first starts of the season with tenacious performances down the left side.

However, on the half-hour Glenavon pulled a goal back against the run of play, as Richard Gibson took advantage of a poor clearance from Albert Watson. He evaded the approaching Callaghan to fire a sweet drive into the United goal with the outside of his boot.

Glenavon were now in the ascendency as only a goal line clearance from a Lewis Hamlin effort prevented the Braidmen from going behind.

The two teams went into the break with the score tied, and all to play for in the second half.

It was Ballymena who came out of the blocks stronger in the second period, and on 54 minutes, the Sky Blues were awarded a penalty when Johhny Cowan hauled down Garth Scates.

Davitt Walsh cooly dispatched the penalty, sending Murphy the wrong way for his sixth goal of the season. This was also United's FIFTH penalty of the season.

Five minutes later Scates played through Kevin Kelbie who looked destined to score but Tuda Murphy made himself present and got a touch to the ball, however collided with the inrushing Scot in the process.

The two players writhed in agony for a few minutes, as fans feared the worst for both players, who both clutched their knees. Kelbie seemingly shook off the knock, however the Cayman Island goalkeeper struggled for the rest of the match.

The home side began to throw everything at Ballymena, and on 77 minutes they had the ball in the back of the net when Johnny Cowan headed home a corner, only for referee Michael McLaughlin to rule it out for an infringement.

Manager, Wright sent on a trio of young legs for the last few minutes, including 21-year-old Gary Baird - the local lad making his first-team debut coming on for the last ten minutes in place of Mark Picking.

United held out for the win and Tommy Wright was happy with the win: "Obviously to win away from home in the first league game is important.

"And to bounce back from a disappointing performance the previous week is also important."

"But then we nearly always tend to do that so this result doesn't really surprise me."

A true test of Ballymena's character will come next week at Alan McDonald's undefeated Glentoran side visit the Showgrounds.

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