Carroll pounces but Braidmen draw comfort
BALLYMENA United stretched their unbeaten run to six games as they were pegged back away to Warrenpoint Town after going in front early on.
Joe Mccready curled home a fine opener before Adam Carroll headed home the equaliser shortly before half-time.
Point hit the inside of the left post in each half while David Jeffrey’s visitors struck the woodwork in the first period as well.
A lively start saw Ballymena almost take the lead inside the first three minutes when Trai Hume glanced Tony Kane’s teasing freekick from the left just wide.
But the visitors didn’t have to wait long to go in front with McCready opening the scoring in style in the eighth minute.
Some neat interplay on the left between Ben Wylie and Jude Winchester saw the latter slip the ball through to Mccready, who curled in a sumptuous effort off the inside of the post.
It was the Braidmen who were on top and they should have extended their lead when Point keeper Gabriel Sava could only parry Ryan Waide’s long-range effort into the path of Winchester, but the midfielder’s follow-up was weak. Warrenpoint equalised seven minutes before the break.
A mix-up at the back saw Sean Graham direct his back-pass away from keeper Jordan Williamson with the ball rolling just past the post. From the resultant corner, Carroll found space to head home. The home side should have gone in front just before the hour mark when, following another break, Alan O’sullivan’s low cross saw Williamson keep out Ryan Swan’s effort and somehow Carroll managed to side-foot against the post.
WARRENPOINT TOWN: Sava, Mullen, Ball, Wallace, Gallagher, Mcveigh, Dillon, Carroll, Doyle (Mccaffrey 84), O’sullivan, Swan (O’connor 72).
Subs not used: Mcmullan, Cowan, Hutchinson, Evans, Forsythe.
BALLYMENA UNITED: Williamson, Hume, Redman, Keeley, Graham, Kelly, Kane, Winchester, Wylie (Mccartan 75), Mccready (Mcelroy 69), Waide.
Subs not used: Glendinning, Mckeown, Harpur,
Ervin, Beattie.
Referee: Jamie Robinson
Man of the match: Danny Wallace (Warrenpoint)
Match rating: 7/10