Jeffrey salutes United’s robust focus

DAVID Jeffrey hailed his side’s siege mentality as they braved a Warrenpoint Town storm and a sending off to move up to fourth spot.

Quite how the game ended up with such a one-sided scoreline when the visitors were on top for large spells was incredible.

They created six great chances — a combination of Ross Glendinning’s excellence and poor finishing the culprits — but despite trailing to Leroy Millar’s firsthalf opener, were still well in the game.

When Andrew Burns was sent off for a reckless emptying of Conall Young, it should have heralded a comeback chance for the bottom of the table side but the reverse happened.

Andy McGrory curled home yet another fabulous free-kick to double United’s advantage and, as chances came and went for Town, Cathair Friel showed how it should be done with two clinical finishes.

Jeffrey (right) paid tribute to his side and admitted the scoreline was harsh on Stephen McDonnell’s men.

“We went down to Warrenpoint last year and scored goals and people thought we had won comfortably, we didn’t, we had a number of great saves and clearances off the line,” said Jeffrey.

“I’m just pleased with the three points, the clean sheet and the four goals. “Sometimes you hear people say it can be harder to play against 10 men, a siege mentality kicks in and it was the same last week when we had Jonathan Addis sent off.” Despite another scoreline to forget, McDonnell tried to look at some of the positives.

“Up until 1-0, the boys were getting up to the ball, making contact, tackling, intercepting, were aggressive round the ball and that got us to a point where we were in the game,” he said.

“Once they went down to 10 men the whole momentum swung. Once again, the scoreline look like we’ve been absolutely battered and it’s very much not the case.”

BALLYMENA: Ross Glendinning, McGrory, McCullough, Ervin, Whiteside, Andrew Burns, Winchester (McGinty, 71 mins), Harpur (Carville, 70 mins), Friel, Millar, Aaron Burns (Lavery, 75 mins). Unused subs: Williamson, Mayse, Kelly, Warnock. WARRENPOINT: Moran, Young (White, 59 mins), McVeigh, Wallace, Reilly, Lynch, Watters, Doyle, O’Sullivan, Forde, Scannell. Unused subs: Turker, Bennett, Smith. Referee: Arnold Hunter (Maguiresbridge) Man of the Match: Cathair Friel

Match Rating: 7/10