Boss John Bailie rejects 'upset' verdict as second-tier Ards claim top-flight Ballymena scalp
Twelve league spots across two divisions divide top-flight Ballymena United and second-tier Ards – but John Bailie rejected any talk of an “upset” after Saturday’s Irish Cup fifth-round scalp.
Lee Newell’s finish and an Aidan Steele penalty fired Championship-based Ards into a commanding lead at The Showgrounds before Premiership hosts Ballymena cut the gap off Ethan Devine.
However, Bailie’s Ards stood firm to set up a place in the competition’s sixth-round draw off a memorable 2-1 tally.
Bailie was happy to view success as “a brilliant day for the club” but told BBC Sport NI how “we haven’t really seen it as an upset”.
"It's a brilliant day for the club...a difficult day, the pitch was difficult to play on," said Bailie on BBC Sport NI. "Any win in the Irish Cup is a massive day and we're really pleased to be in the sixth round.
"We haven't really seen it as an upset...that's not degrading Ballymena.
"We came here two months ago in the League Cup and lost 1-0...truth be told, we were unlucky to lose.”
Bailie reflected on a victory secured despite selection struggles.
"We've quite a few players missing and we've come here with our form in the league patchy,” said Bailie. “But our performances have been very good - that's been frustrating for me as a manager.
"We've tried to drum into our players that against anyone we've quite a bit of quality in our squad.
"Ballymena threw the kitchen sink at us in the second half and I think we deserved our rewards today."
In response to the exit, Ballymena assistant manager Stefan Seaton was left to lament “individual errors”.
"Full credit to Ards, they've taken their chances...they were much better in the moments that mattered in the game, especially in the first half," said Seaton on BBC Sport NI. "We started the game like we wanted to, took the game to them.
"But it's individual errors that cost you - you don't take chances in your own half on that type of pitch.
"You've got to cut down on individual errors and then when the ball's at the other end you need to show that calmness, coolness.
"Show that bit of quality when you can aim, get it where it needs to be and get back in the game...we didn't do that enough."
Seaton added: "Today was not about decisions or the pitch - it was about something different and we need to look at ourselves because again it's individual errors.
"Football games are, by and large, won in both boxes.
"We didn't defend our box well enough and we didn't attack their box in quality moments when we should have done.”