Jim Ervin feels 'lack of concentration' costing Ballymena United dearly after another slow start
Ballymena United manager Jim Ervin feels “a lack of concentration and communication” is costing his side dearly after another slow start in their 3-1 Premiership defeat to Coleraine.
No top-flight team has conceded more goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches this term than Ballymena (four), who fell behind after only 90 seconds when Will Patching struck for the Bannsiders.
The Sky Blues have leaked eight of their 14 goals in the first half of fixtures and Saturday’s defeat was another occasion where Ballymena found themselves 2-0 down at half-time – the same scenario occurred at home against both Glentoran and Dungannon Swifts.
Ervin’s men are often able to respond after the break – only Cliftonville and Larne (both 10) have netted more second half goals this term than Ballymena’s nine – but being slow out of the traps has ultimately cost them.
"Our game plan goes out the window after 90 seconds, which is extremely disappointing,” he said. "It’s a sloppy goal...we've stood still and we've wanted other people to go and do their jobs.
“It's difficult as it is playing against Coleraine who are a quality side, but to concede after 90 seconds, it's disappointing.
"That comes down to concentration, because there's no other word for it – it comes down to a lack of concentration and a lack of communication.
"We know the movements that the players make, the players were well-drilled, it's not that they weren't prepared.
"It's a lack of concentration and a lack of communication. It's like we've waited for someone else to go and do their job and you can't give a quality side like Coleraine that time or space to do that."
Northern Ireland’s four full-time teams are currently occupying the Premiership’s top positions and are widely expected to remain there throughout this season, but Ervin isn’t willing to use that as an excuse for defeat.
"It's so difficult, but it is what it is,” he added. "There's no point in me saying it's the difference between full-time and part-time.
"We've got to prepare as best as we possibly can, we've got to do as best as we possibly can.
"Sometimes it's enough, sometimes it's not, but there's no point in me going on and saying it's the difference between full-time and part-time, because that's just making an excuse.”