WHAT THE MANAGER SAID: Ballymena's Jim Ervin outlines summer ambition after 'topsy-turvy' Irish League campaign

Luke Hawe found the net for Ballymena between a Shay McCartan penalty kick and Steven McCullough free-kick by hosts Portadown at Shamrock Park in the 2-1 outcome.

Here’s the verdict of Ballymena boss Jim Ervin:

OVERALL SEASON...

"I'm proud of the players, they gave me everything this year.

"Sometimes we haven't got the results but the effort and commitment levels have always been there.

"If we'd managed to see games out you'd have a different result and maybe finish somewhere different in the league.

"Hopefully the players learn from it but there's been a big change from last year, mindset as well.

"Last year we finished on 28 points, we're sitting on 47 today.

"So it's a big, big shift.

"It's had a bit of everything...it's been a proper roller-coaster.

"We had that horrible start, we lost our first four then win 12 on the bounce.

"Then I think we lost five, then we won two then from then on topsy-turvy and really inconsistent.

"That's the key thing I said to the players...to try and get that consistency.

"If you get that consistency then you get a lot more points.

"When you look around it I think the only two teams this year we didn't manage to beat were Linfield and Crusaders.

"So we've shown on our day we're more than a match for the boys at the top end of the table.

"Our home form has killed us a wee bit this year...we've given away stupid points, maybe winning games and we've lost late on or drawn.

"It's a big knock-on effect.”

FUTURE GOALS...

"We know what we need to do, the types of players we need to bring to try and get that consistency.

"I said when we were going really well I would not get carried away.

"I've been around football too long to know how it works.

"You always know you're going to hit a slump somewhere but I've learnt a lot this year and the last two years (in management) will, hopefully, stand me in good stead for next season and what we're looking to do.

"When on that really good run it's the same 11 that started pretty much every game.

"It's difficult...I've been there where you've maybe gone six or seven weeks without playing a game and then thrown into the deep end.

"It's difficult (for players) but that's up to us as coaches to make sure we bring in the right players.

"That the players' mentality is right, that they're prepared for everything, that they're doing more away from the club to make sure they're sharp.

"Injuries and suspensions are part-and-parcel of football so certainly that's no excuse, everybody goes through it at some stage.

"I'm desperately proud of what they give me.

"Last summer was extremely difficult because of the situation we were in when we stayed in the league by the skin of our teeth (via promotion/relegation play-off win).

"We've done it comfortably this year, so that's progress again.

"Is it the progress we wanted to make? Possibly not, no...but all we ask of players is to keep progressing.

"They've done that against last year so the question now is to progress again next year from where we've finished this season.

"It's going to be hard but it's up to us to get the best out of the players."

DEFEAT AT PORTADOWN...

"Today we gave it everything and went right to the end and, to be honest, thought we were due a point.

"There was very, very little in it...fine margins.

"You're always learning...regardless of today's result we know what we need to do in the summer.

"It's one thing knowing what you need to do and one thing doing it."