'We weren't given a stonewall penalty' - Ervin

Ballymena United boss Jim Ervin bemoaned the decision not to award his side a "stonewall penalty" in their first leg Irish Premiership promotion/relegation defeat against Institute.

Danny Lafferty’s spectacular strike proved the difference between the sides in a tense game at the Brandywell.

But Ervin was incensed that Ballymena had a penalty appeal for handball waved away after Sean Brown’s low cross was diverted away by Caoimhin Porter.

"I have watched it back a number of times and how does the linesman not give it?" he said.

"This is a big game, and you expect the officials to get the big decisions right and they didn't there.

"That's not the reason we lost the game, but it certainly had a big impact on it."

Ervin was pleased with the start that his side made to the game, but expressed his disappointment with their performance after that, particularly in the goal they conceded, as Michael Harris carried the ball a long distance before Jamie Dunne teed up Lafferty.

"It was very cagey, both teams were very nervy," he admitted.

"The first 20 minutes we put them under pressure and then after that they grew into it.

"It was a decent first half and you were hoping for a bit more in the second half, but our boys didn't come out of the blocks, and they scored a fantastic goal."

Ervin continued: "There is disappointment on our end, the guy has run the length of the pitch, and no one has taken one for the team and taken him out of the game."

Despite the defeat, Ervin is confident that his side can turn the result around and maintain their Premiership status by winning the second leg at home.

"It is half-time, we're at home on Friday and we go again in front of a big crowd. It is up to us to come out and try get something from it.

"We need to be clinical, we didn't test the goalkeeper on many occasions, so we have a massive 90 minutes ahead of us."

Institute boss Kevin Deery was pleased to come away with a slender lead but is hoping for an improved attacking performance at the Ballymena Showgrounds on Friday.

"We played some nice football and thankfully Danny [Lafferty] scored a wonder goal worthy of winning any game," he said.

"Moving forward we would like to play better, we haven't hit the heights we have shown but it's half-time.

"It was a game full of nerves, we were anxious, and we are a young group, and we have to go to a really tough place and do it all over again.

"We need to impose ourselves on the game, play on the front foot and score again. We have to empty the tank again."