Ervin Commends Ballymena United’s Effort Despite Linfield Defeat

Ballymena United manager Jim Ervin commended his team’s performance following their 2-0 away loss to Linfield at Windsor Park on Saturday. The visiting side maintained competitiveness in the match until central defender Stephen O’Donnell received a red card for accumulating two yellow card offences in the 70th minute. Goals scored by substitute Rhys Annett and Kirk Millar resulted in the Sky Blues suffering their fourth consecutive league defeat without scoring. “I thought to a man we were absolutely brilliant. I thought we kept the ball well and if our crosses in the final third had been a bit better we may have created a lot more but we didn’t,” Ervin told BBC Sport NI. He added, “I couldn’t have asked for much more. They gave me everything that they could but we came away with no goals and no points.” The Ballymena boss expressed his belief that his team should have been awarded a penalty late in the game due to a potential handball by Linfield defender Scot Whiteside. “It’s extremely frustrating. I thought we had a stonewall penalty not given but for what the players gave me I can’t ask for much more,” Ervin remarked. Ervin further commented that O’Donnell’s sending off constituted “the changing point in the game.” He elaborated, “After that we did well – we had to adjust to a new shape but we let too many crosses come in and when you give Kirk Millar that amount of time and space he’s always going to hurt you. Disappointed from the marking point of view [for Annett’s opening headed goal], it’s a free header inside the box.”