CRUES EDGE IT AT THE SHOWGROUNDS
An early goal proved enough for Crusaders to get the better of Ballymena United at The Showgrounds.
The visitors needed just five minutes to break the deadlock. Daniel Larmour unleashed Jacob Blaney down the right, and his angled cross into the area was directed home courtesy of a Kieran Offord diving header.
Crusaders almost doubled their tally not long after that when Jordan Stewart found space on the edge of the area but could only chip the ball onto the roof of the net.
Ballymena came closest to levelling just before half-time when, on the break, Johnny McMurray released Calvin McCurry but his curling effort towards the far post was turned behind by Jonny Tuffey.
Jim Ervin's side pressed hard for the equaliser in the second half but other than a Noah Stewart snatched effort midway through, and a stoppage time shot over the top the Sky Blues never really looked like challenging the Crusaders lead.
Indeed, Declan Caddell's side could have doubled their advantage with another Offord effort, but keeper Sean O'Neill did well to dive to his left to make the save.
Ballymena United: O’Neill, Nelson, Lafferty, Rocks, Kennedy, O’Donnell, McCurry, Loughran, Brown, McMurray, Carson subs Johnston, Gawne, Scott, Barr, Tennant, Stewart, Hood
Crusaders: Tuffey, Weir, Lowry, Jewitt-White, Stewart, Blaney, O’Rourke, Offord, Larmour, Franklin, Barr subs Kerr, Forsythe, Owens, Smith, Donnelly, Nixon, James
Substitution 
Substitution 
