The Reds took the lead on 28 minutes. Conor Downey’s inswinging free kick from the left flank was misjudged by Gary Haveron and when the ball went over his head, former United defender David McAlinden was on hand to beat Murphy with a close-range header.

Cliftonville had a couple of efforts at the start of the second half but instead it was United who grabbed an equaliser from the unlikely source of Albert Watson.

Haveron played a straight-looking free kick from from the edge of the centre circle inside his own half. Brown missed his header but the ball dropped for Watson to lift the ball over the advancing Connolly.

Straight from the re-start, Cliftonville left-back Ronan Scannell’s surging run into the Ballymena box was halted by a mistimed tackle from Haveron. McAlinden put the ball on the penalty spot but he appeared to slip as he struck the ball and Murphy was able to save his effort with his legs before recovering to dive on the rebound.

But rather than take advantage of their good fortune, United allowed the Reds to dictate the pace of the game and within four minutes, the home side were ahead when Downey’s low cross from the left was guided goalwards by Chris Scannell.