It was third time lucky for the two sides at Dixon Park, as two previous attempts at playing this fourth round tie had fallen to the weather in previous weeks.

Roy Walker was forced into one change his side that drew at Institute three days earlier, former Ballyclare full-back Michael Smith was cup-tied after appearing for the Comrades in an earlier round - and he was replaced with teenager Ryan Deans.

The Braid manager was also forced to watch from the stands in the first game of his four-game touchline ban, inforced due to his sending off at Dungannon in November.

A fairly tame and even opening period burst into life on 18 minutes when United's talisman Kevin Kelbie scored his ninth and arguably most spectacular goal of the season to put the Sky Blues into the lead - just as he had done in the abandoned game.

Paul Muir's deep free-kick into a crowded home penalty area was headed clear by Evan Forsythe, but only as far as the mercurial Scot whose unleashed an audacious volley from 20-yards which flew into the top corner.

The visitors seen out the half in fairly comfortable control, but were failing to capitalise in their majority of possession against their Championship opponents.

Ballymena sealed their place in the next round on 68 minutes when Gavin Melaugh broke through down the right and slipped the ball under goalkeeper Paddy Flood and Lee Colligan was on hand to tap the ball home from close range for his first senior goal.

"I'm absolutely delighted to be through at the third time of asking after a game on a very difficult pitch on a very difficult night." said Roy Walker.

"It took us a wee while to warm up, I thought we were a tad lethargic.

"It took a very good goal by Kevin to illuminate a first half that was pretty mediocre to say the least.

"Second half after the first 15 minutes I felt we were comfortable and then getting the second goal was the insurance and I'm pleased to be progressing in the cup."

Ballymena United will now go on to face high-flying Crusaders at the Showgrounds on Satruday, 14th February in the fifth round of the JJB Sports Irish Cup.

Teams:

BALLYCLARE COMRADES	BALLYMENA UNITED
1: FLOOD, Paddy	1: BLAYNEY, Alan
2: LONG, Andrew	2: WRAY, Thomas
3: BELL, Gary	3: MUIR, Paul
4: McCLEAN, Stuart (c)	5: WATSON, Albert
5: MURRAY, Ryan	6: McDONNELL, Gavin
6: FORSYTHE, Evan	8: MELAUGH, Gavin
7: AGNEW, Kyle	10: KELBIE, Kevin (c)
8: McGOWAN, Simon	17: DEANS, Ryan
9: CRAIG, Mark	22: COLLIGAN, Lee
10: HIGGINS, Richard	24: McNEILL, Paul
11: FORSYTHE, Andrew	26: McCLEAN, Craig
Substitutes	-
12: SIMMS, Andrew	7: YOUNG, George
Not Used	Replaced Ryan Deans (90 mins)
14: NELSON, Darren	14: WALSH, Davitt
Replaced Kyle Agnew (85 mins)	Replaced Paul McNeill (49 mins)
15: WALLACE, Aaron	19: STEWART, Aaron
Replaced Stuart McClean (78 mins)	Not Used
17: LOUGHRAN, Kieran	20: O'NEILL, Sean
Replaced Gary Bell (78 mins)	Not Used
18: CURLETT, Gareth	21: CUSHLEY, David
Not Used	Not Used
Yellow Cards:	-
FORSYTHE, Evan (73 mins)	None
Red Cards:	-
None	None