'I'm so proud of them': Ballymena boss Jim Ervin salutes team effort as Linfield suffer first Premiership defeat
Ballymena United manager Jim Ervin praised his players for their “gutsy performance” as they ended a run of three straight defeats by edging out Linfield at The Showgrounds.
A first-half header from Matthew Clarke – against his former club – ultimately proved to be the difference as United celebrated a first win against the Blues in over four years.
Linfield had the Sky Blues camped in their own half for the majority of the second-half but failed to overly test Sean O’Neill, with the Braidmen hitting the post in stoppage time as Ryan McNickle was denied by the upright.
It marked Linfield’s first defeat of the campaign as Ballymena responded from their late heartache against Cliftonville last weekend.
"The players deserve so much credit," Ervin told Ballymena United's social media platforms.
"On the back of three defeats and the cruel goal we conceded late on Saturday, how we felt as we were so down because we put so much into it with ten men, the character those players showed tonight was absolutely outstanding.
"Let's be honest...who out there gave us a hope in hell out there tonight?
"No-one. No-one gave us a cat's chance and I spoke to the players about that before the game.
"It's been a long time since we beat Linfield here and to do it in the way we did it tonight...it was a real gutsy performance.
"We couldn't get out of our half in the second-half but I don't think any of our boys missed a clearance, missed a header, missed a tackle...and to a man I'm so very proud of them.”
Whilst acknowledging the efforts of the starting eleven who took to the pitch – Ervin paid a special mention to one member of his squad in particular.
“I’m so proud of them – including the substitutes from the bench,” he added.
"I have to give a mention to Danny Lafferty. He hasn’t got as much game time as he would like...but he’s been the ultra, ultra professional.
"He’s came to training every night, he’s knocked his pan in, he’s waited and waited and waited for his opportunity, played against Ballyclare and did well.
"The last two games he’s come on and gave us everything we expect of him.
"That’s the standards those boys have set. When you’re not in the team, yes be disappointed, but you’ve got to work your absolute socks off to make sure you get into the squad and force your way into the team.
“It would be easy for me to stand with the guys and not say anything but I think Danny deserves a special mention because he’s been absolutely top drawer.
"He backs all his team-mates up whether he’s playing or not and that’s what we need. We need everybody together for us to succeed and to win games of football.”
An away assignment at Crusaders is the next test for Ballymena and Ervin says they need to show the same application.
He reflected: “We’ve now got a huge game on Saturday.
“We need to show the same effort, commitment, determination but we need to be better on the ball.
"We will have to pick the boys back up again ahead of a difficult game on Saturday.”