Kris Lindsay opened the scoring after 26 minutes with a deflection from a Michael Gault effort before Peter Thompson doubled their advantage ten minutes later when he turned home the loose ball from after 'keeper Paul Murphy pushed out a Paul McAreavey header.

Glenn Ferguson made it 3-0 on 74 minutes when he held off the challenge of Aaron Callaghan to direct the ball past Murphy.

Ballymena pulled one back almost immediately, though, after Mark Picking dispossessed Aidan O'Kane to provide the opening for Darren Fitzgerald to score.

On 80 minutes the visitors had a penalty claim dismissed by replacement referee Adrian McCourt - he replaced the injured David Malcolm at the break - and while they were still protesting a Damien Curran was turned past his own keeper by the unfortunate Craig McClean.