Jim Ervin not interested in excuses as Ballymena United target return to winning ways
Ballymena United manager Jim Ervin insists he’s not interested in using new players settling into his side as an excuse for results as the Sky Blues look to bounce back from consecutive league defeats against Cliftonville on Saturday afternoon.
Ervin’s men began the new campaign by putting together a three-game winning run, including keeping clean sheets in each fixture, but have since lost out to Larne and Glentoran.
The Co Antrim outfit conducted a summer of impressive transfer business as the likes of David Toure, Matthew Clarke and Daire O’Connor all arrived at The Showgrounds.
Five new recruits started in last weekend’s home defeat to the Glens, who punished Ballymena for a couple of mistakes, including when Jordan Jenkins pounced following a sloppy loss of possession in defence.
As the Premiership continues to become more competitive, Ervin knows his side can’t afford to make simple errors and feels any team is now capable of making you pay.
"No, I don't buy that (players still settling)...we've had our business done very, very early on in the transfer window, so I'm not going to make any excuses,” he said. "I never have made excuses, so I'm certainly not going to say that's the reason (we lost against Glentoran).
"Anybody that was there would have seen the goals we gave away...it was schoolboy stuff.
"I feel every team in the league is capable of punishing you. The players have been honest themselves when we asked them the questions at half-time and after the game…they're big enough to stand up and say that they didn't do X, Y and Z.
"Ultimately that cost us the two goals and cost us getting anything from the game.”
Cliftonville’s form has almost been a complete reversal to Ballymena’s, enduring a difficult start before winning their last two matches, including ending Carrick Rangers’ unbeaten run.
“I wholeheartedly mean this, every game is such a task and a challenge,” said manager Jim Magilton. “For me – and I’m saying this every week now – it is never who we play, it’s how we play and our attitude and our application to how we play.
"If we are right at it, I think we are a match for anybody in the league, but it’s just about confidence and momentum now.”