Ballymena and Newington set to renew acquaintances as Sky Blues manager Jim Ervin calls for professional performance
Ballymena United manager Jim Ervin has warned that his players are expecting another stern examination as they face Newington for the second time in a cup competition this season.
The two teams are no strangers to one another as a penalty from Ben Kennedy edged the Sky Blues over the line against their Championship opponents in the County Antrim Shield last month.
However, the second-round of the BetMcLean Cup is on the schedule this time around and Ervin admitted he was pleased to have a game so quickly after losing to Larne in the Shanes Hill derby on Saturday.
First-half efforts from Paul O’Neill and Conor McKendry put the Inver Reds in the ascendancy and it was a lead they never looked like relinquishing.
League duty is swapped for cup proceedings this time around and Ervin acknowledged how the competition is “very important” for everyone connected to the club.
"As a manager, it can be a long week when you're building towards another game, but we've got a quick turnaround Tuesday evening,” Ervin told Ballymena United’s social media platforms.
"The League Cup is very, very important, this football club. There's also the added bonus that there's the European play-off spot available for the winners this year.
"We have a really difficult game Tuesday evening, as we've seen two weeks ago in Larne against Newington.
"So we need to be well prepared and we need to be very, very professional for Tuesday evening.”
Ervin confessed that he learnt a lot about the ‘Ton from that first encounter and how he has had them watched on a scouting brief.
"Newington were very good that evening and I think that was the message to the players – don't underestimate them,” he added.
"I think maybe a few boys kind of thought that it was going to be a stroll in the park and they put it up to us and they showed us that they're not going to lie down very, very easily.
"So I think the players are now well aware of it as much as we prepared them for it because we make sure that we give every opponent the respect that they deserve. We had their game watched on Saturday.
"So we've done all our work as a group of staff...we'll give the players that information and it's up to them to make sure that they're professional enough on Tuesday evening.”