Jim Ervin left to rue 'really stupid goals' which cost Ballymena United dearly in Cliftonville defeat
Ballymena United manager Jim Ervin was left to rue “really stupid goals” which cost his side dearly during their dramatic 3-2 Premiership defeat against Cliftonville at Solitude.
In an action-packed affair in North Belfast, Ballymena took a lead into half-time through Success Edogun, but Cliftonville came roaring out of the traps after the break with Adebayo Fapetu scoring his first Reds goal before Stephen O’Donnell’s own goal put the hosts ahead.
O’Donnell was then sent off after being shown a second yellow for handball, however it was a case of mistaken identity as Ben Kennedy was the one who handled, but the former Coleraine defender was still given his marching orders.
Joe Gormley missed the resulting penalty and 10-man Ballymena thought they’d salvaged a point when Aaron Jarvis netted in the 85th minute, but there was still time for further drama with Jack Keaney firing home a last-gasp free-kick.
It’s a third consecutive league win for Cliftonville and third straight defeat for Ervin’s men, and the Sky Blues chief was left frustrated with the manner of goals conceded.
"I’m gutted for the way we lost it,” he told the club’s media channel. “I thought first half we were superb, the game plan we had worked on all week worked and we went 1-0 up.
"We spoke about the reaction that Cliftonville would come out with second half, the players spoke about it, we had them well warned and within 10 minutes we’re 2-1 down.
"It’s stupid mistakes again. We don’t stop the balls into the box, we don’t defend our box and these are really stupid goals to give away, really, really stupid.
"We can’t say the players weren’t warned – they were, time and time again. They are playing into the stand which they enjoy doing in the second half so you have to track runners, stop balls going into the box, but we didn’t do it for whatever reason.
"We did it in the first half. The character of the boys to come back, getting a man sent off, and getting an equaliser to go 2-2 heading into injury time, and we shouldn’t make the tackle we do at the edge of the box, it’s stupid.
"They score from it so we have lost the game in the last kick.”
Ervin felt his side were good value for a point after their reaction to losing O’Donnell with 23 minutes left to play, but Keaney sparked scenes of jubilation with a second league goal in as many games.
"I thought we deserved it,” added Ervin. “The spirit the team showed when we went a man down, they galvanised...to lose it in the way we have is disappointing because we don’t need to foul on the edge of the box.
"You go and put your body between the ball and the goal, stand up, there’s no need to go to ground. We need to learn from it and learn very quickly.
"The first 10 minutes too many balls are going into the box and we don’t defend our box. Needless fouls, free-kicks in dangerous areas, and it has cost us.”