Fighting point

Ballymena United 2-2 Cliftonville

Cliftonville twice hit back from behind to earn a point in a contentious Sports Direct Premiership clash with Ballymena United this evening.

Trailing to hotly disputed penalty awarded after just four minutes, the Reds responded to dominate the rest of the first-half and went in level at the interval thanks to a header from Keevan Hawthorne – one of four Academy graduates in a starting XI that included an impressive debut from 16-year-old defender Shea McGarry.

Brian Healy tried his luck on three occasions, Shaun Leppard saw a deft header saved and Adebayo Fapetu almost got a decisive touch to a ball across the face of goal in the closing seconds of the half as Cliftonville piled on the pressure.

United regained the lead early in the second period when Igor Rutkowski – whose earlier spot kick had squeezed past PJ Morrison – pounced after the visiting keeper was beaten by the bobbly pitch as he attempted to gather a shot from Daire O’Connor.

Ballymena stopper Sean O’Neill’s claim that Healy had kicked him in the face wasn’t bought by the officials, with referee Chris Morrison correctly showing the Cliftonville striker a yellow card rather than the red he had instinctively pulled from his pocket as the home custodian collapsed to the ground inexplicably holding his head.

Having bossed proceedings in the opening 45 minutes, the away side were unable to find the same rhythm as they went in search of a second equaliser but did conjure up one moment of sublime passing that yielded the leveller; substitutes Reece Jordan and Rory Hale combining before Harry Wilson slipped Liam McStravick into the channel and his cutback was expertly dispatched first time by Gormley.

Cliftonville came close to an injury-time winner when Eric McWoods raced through only to be taken out by O’Neill, who was spared a red card by a vociferously contested offside flag, meaning the visitors were forced to contend with a point for their evening’s efforts.

Cliftonville: Morrison, Pepper, Wilson, Curran (McWoods, 67 mins), Leppard, Casey, Healy (Gormley, 77 mins), Hawthorne (Jordan, 57 mins), Sheridan (McStravick, 67 mins), Fapetu (Hale, 67 mins), McGarry. Unused subs: Ridd, McCay.