A solitary point would have been enough to ensure Premiership football for another season against an Institute side which looking increasingly doomed following the sudden upturn in fortunes of Lisburn Distillery. Although the game failed to capture the imagination of the footballing public; attracting the lowest league attendance at the Showgrounds this season.

There was only one change from the starting eleven from the Irish Cup semi-final heartache a week previously, as Kevin Kelbie along with fellow Scot Gary Muir were stranded in their native land following the lockdown of flights across most of Europe due to the volcanic ash from Iceland.

This gave an opportunity for utility player Mark Surgenor to take start up front alongside Andy Smith and he justified Walker’s faith with the opening goal after just eight minutes. Good work from Michael Smith down the right flank created the opportunity for Surgenor to finish from close range for his fourth goal of an impressive first season in senior football for the Broughshane man.

The Braidmen were in cruise control and doubled the lead on the half-hour mark when Michael Smith’s stinging shot was pushed out by goalkeeper Gavin Cullen only as far as Lee Colligan who comfortably finished despite the desperate attempts of Paddy McLaughlin to get to the ball first.

Despite their senior status hanging by a thread, the Drumahoe side rarely threatened the Ballymena goal but they had a great chance with half-time approaching; former United midfielder Ruari McClean found space in the penalty area but could only hit the side netting with the goal at his mercy.

On the stroke of half-time the Sky Blues went further ahead and into a virtually unassailable three goal lead. A defensive mix-up between Cullen and defender Greame Crown allowed Andy Smith the opportunity to lash home his fourth goal in five games.

Unfortunately Smith will not be adding to his 10 goals this season after being forced off and ending up in hospital following a crunching challenge with Institute’s Eamon Seydek on 58 minutes, which left the former Northern Ireland striker with a nasty gash and will rule him out for the remaining three games of the season.

The second half was a lack-lustre affair with both sides forging chances but with little urgency as Declan Divin and Paul Lowry both threatened a Ballymena defence that had very little to do throughout.

Both Lee Colligan and substitute David Cushley also went close late on to adding a fourth to a comfortable victory for United; only their first victory in nine attempts in the league.

Manager Roy Walker told the Belfast Telegraph; "We're pleased to win 3-0, it closes the gap on Glenavon, but I thought it was game where we should have applied ourselves and taken care of our football,”

"I’ve had a few people erupt on me before but I’ve never had a volcano before. But the good news from that is we’ve got a win and two fresh players (Kelbie and Muir) to come in for Tuesday evening.” Ballymena United will take on Newry City on Tuesday evening at the Newry Showgrounds as the first of the final three games of the current season.

Pictures: www.presseye.com

Teams:

BALLYMENA UNITED	INSTITUTE
1: NELSON, Dwayne	1: CULLEN, Gavin
2: SMITH, Michael	2: CROWN, Graeme
3: STEWART, Aaron	3: HOLMES, Shaun
4: HAVERON, Gary (c)	4: McLAUGHLIN, Paddy
5: WATSON, Albert	5: McCLEAN, Ruari
6: WATSON, Aidan	6: SEYDAK, Eamon
7: COLLIGAN, Lee	7: SEMPLE, Ryan
8: TAGGART, Gavin	8: BOYLE, Ruari
9: SMITH, Andy	9: LOWRY, Paul
10: KELBIE, Kevin	10: DIVIN, Declan
11: LOCKHART, Darren	11: FRIARS, Sean
Substitutes	-
12: ANDERSON, Noel	12: WRAY, Thomas
Not Used	Not Used
13: RAMSEY, Chris	14: McCREADIE, Joe
Replaced Darren Lockhart (24 mins)	Replaced Sean Frairs (51 mins)
14: CUSHLEY, David	15: BLACKBURN, Jason
Replaced Andy Smith (58 mins)	Not Used
15: McLAUGHLIN, James	16: RYAN, Alan
Replaced Gary Haveron (46 mins)	Not Used
20: O'NEILL, Sean	17: McCLEMENTS, David
Not Used	Replaced Ryan Semple (71 mins)
Yellow Cards:	-
Unknown	Unknown
Red Cards:	-
None	None