BALLYMENA United title winning reserves got their pre-season campaign under way with defeat to First Division Ballyclare Comrades at Dixon Park.

David Dorrian's side had been due to play Ballymoney two weeks ago, but the game had been called off due to a waterlogged pitch. However, most of the squad got a game on the tour of Stranraer at the weekend.

Garth Scates came into the team for his first action of pre-season, alongside Paudie Hearty who signed a one-year contract with the Sky Blues after being on trial for the past few weeks.

Newly-promoted Ballyclare Comrades opened the scoring in controversial fashion when the linesman flag was ignored by the referee as he allowed Darren McKay to lob the ball over Ballymena goalkeeper, Sean O'Neill.

The Reserve League champions were unlucky not to equalise before the break as Johnny Flynn's superb half-volley from a David Cushley corner hit the woodwork.

The Sky Blues found themselves two goals down just ten minutes into the second half when Joe McRoberts headed home a Comrades' corner.

The game was killed off as a contest by Jamsie Kirk's side in the 65th minute, as Andy Simms free-kick from 20-yards flew over the wall and into the net.

David Dorrian made a number of substitutions in the second half, including bringing trialist Jimmy Crawford on, a striker who was on the books of Lisburn Distillery last season.

Ballyclare Comrades: Mannus, Caldwell, Gilmore, Forsythe (sub Smyth 62), Hamilton, Mulholland (sub Armstrong 68), Loughran (sub McClean 62), McRoberts (sub McGrath 68), Simms, McKay (sub Agnew 68), McDowell.

Ballymena United XI: Sean O'Neill, Gareth McConaghie (sub Andy Long 60), Aaron Stewart, Chris Getty, Johnny Flynn, Daley Carnduff (sub George Young 70), Garth Scates (sub Aaron Holland 70), Lee Patrick (sub Gary Baird 60), Paudie Hearty, Randal Reid (sub Jimmy Crawford 70), David Cushley (sub Lee Colligan 60).