Dungannon Swifts manager Rodney McAree pulled no punches in his assessment of a 1-1 draw with Ballymena United, labelling his team's display as poor. The result at Stangmore Park leaves Ballymena United ninth in the Premiership table with six points from their opening seven matches.
McAree was clear that his side failed to meet expectations, even after playing more than an hour with a numerical advantage. Scot Whiteside's 24th-minute red card for the visitors handed Dungannon a lifeline, but they could not capitalise fully despite Danny Wallace's equaliser just before half-time.
He thought his side were atrocious when the teams were even, and though the sending off changed the dynamic, Dungannon lacked the urgency to kill the game. McAree pointed out that they created chances to win but did not take them, admitting a victory might have been harsh on a Ballymena side that dug in well.
Igor Rutkowski gave Ballymena United the lead in the 24th minute, the same minute Whiteside was dismissed. Wallace pulled Dungannon level in the 42nd minute, setting up a second half where the hosts dominated possession but lacked a cutting edge. McAree praised substitute Kris Lowe's impact and noted some joy from Corey Smith on the left flank, but overall he found his players lethargic and slow to press.
The draw extends Ballymena's recent run to just one win in their last five league outings, a sequence you can review on our standings page. Their next chance to climb the table comes quickly, with a home fixture against bottom-placed Portadown scheduled for Saturday. Ballymena will be looking to turn their draws into wins, starting with that match at the Showgrounds.
This story first appeared at newsletter.co.uk
