Ballymena United fought back from an early setback to secure a 2-1 Premiership victory over Crusaders FC on Saturday. The win lifts the Sky Blues to sixth in the table with 15 points from 11 games, a record of four wins, three draws and four losses. They have scored 17 goals this season while conceding 15, giving them a goal difference of plus two.
Crusaders stunned the home crowd by scoring inside the first minute through D. Rocks. Ballymena responded well and found an equaliser when J. Archer netted in the 12th minute. The game turned in the 55th minute as K. Lyons-Foster scored what proved to be the winner for United.
The match was a physical affair, with five yellow cards shown. Ballymena's S. Whiteside was booked in the 32nd minute, followed by team-mates C. Allen and I. Rutkowski later on. Crusaders saw D. Rocks and R. Weir cautioned during the second half.
Both managers made changes to influence the game. Crusaders introduced O. Wardell at half-time and made three further substitutions.
This result continues a solid run of form for Ballymena United, who have now won three of their last five league matches, a sequence of three wins, one draw and one loss. Their recent fixtures show a 3-2 loss to Limavady United on 10 October, where Archer and F. Thorndike scored, was followed by a 1-0 win at Cliftonville FC on 3 October and a 2-0 home win over Portadown on 26 September. Prior to that, they drew 1-1 with both Dungannon Swifts on 19 September and Carrick Rangers on 15 September. The team now sits 16 points behind league leaders Coleraine FC. Next up is a tough away trip to face third-placed Glentoran on Saturday 24 October.
Manager Oran Kearney praised the "outstanding" debut of new signing Len O'Sullivan in Saturday's 2-1 win over Crusaders. The 22-year-old left-back, who returned to the Irish League after a spell with Ross County, played the full 90 minutes. Kearney told the club's media channel, "Credit to him coming in here and cruising through 90 minutes, I thought he was outstanding." The win moved Ballymena into the top half of the Premiership, where they sit sixth with 15 points from 11 games.
