Ballymena's bright spark from dark day in Dungannon 'turning point'
Ballymena United boss Jim Ervin has tracked back the club’s bright future to a past dark day in Dungannon.
United sit on an eight-game winning run across all competitions heading into hosting Loughgall across this weekend’s Sports Direct Premiership campaign.
The last defeat dates to August 24 when Ballymena finished down by 1-0 in Dungannon for a fourth consecutive league reverse over the early stages of the season.
A frustrated Ervin reflected on “probably our worst performance” in his post-match analysis at Stangmore Park and how “if we can't carry out instructions then we're struggling”.
Move forward six weeks and eight wins and Ervin is celebrating a transformation built on hard work behind the scenes.
"That day at Dungannon was the turning point for us,” said Ervin. "First half we were dreadful, second half we were better.
"But from then we've done a lot of hard work on the training ground, a lot of hard work.
"I've got to pay credit to my coaches and staff - but, most importantly, the players.
"We've gone into a lot of detail with them, they've taken it all on board and started to deliver on the pitch.
"Sometimes you have to grind results out.
"When you look at our form last season, some of the results and how poor they were...there were times we played really well and got hit with a sucker-punch at the end.
"Then other times totally out-classed and maybe beat four or five.
"But we've got really good leaders in the group."
Ervin was full of praise for the away support in the stands during last weekend’s 1-0 success over Portadown at Shamrock Park – and highlighted the feelgood factor spreading across the club, not least a “fantastic” dressing room.
"I look at the likes of Bert (Thompson) and Mark (Craig), the two kit men, two locals who know what it's like for this club to be on the run we're on.
"When you see the joy on those faces coming off the pitch…
"The support has travelled in numbers too and that's off the back of the confidence we've given them from wins, so long may that continue.
"We need them...and we'll need them again when the chips are down and you need some motivation.”