NIFL Premiership
Ballymena United 2
Cliftonville 2
At Ballymena Showgrounds
CLIFTONVILLE twice fought back from a goal down to earn a 2-2 draw away to Ballymena United at the Warden Street Showgrounds on Tuesday evening.
Trailing to an early Igor Rutkowski penalty, Keevan Hawthorne’s header restored parity at the break.
Rutkowski bundled the Sky Blues ahead again after the restart and it looked to have sealed all three-points for the hosts until Joe Gormley pounced from the bench and earned his side a deserved share of the spoils.
Reds boss Jim Magilton rang the changes from the weekend’s Irish Cup victory over Dundela. Peter Morrison returned in goal, Conor Pepper replaced Joseph Toole – who went off with a calf complaint – Joe Sheridan came back in, and most notably there was a starting place for 16-year-old Shea McGarry in the heart of defence, replacing Jonny Addis.
Jim Magilton's side now have two games in hand
Ballymena United were ahead within four minutes at the Showgrounds as Odhran Casey was adjudged to have impeded the run of Sean Murray in the view of referee Christopher Morrison and he pointed to the spot.
New arrival Igor Rutkowski took responsibility and despite Peter Morrison getting a strong hand to his attempt, it squeezed in past the Reds shot-stopper to make it 1-0.
The visitors hit back and were level in the 16th minute. Adebayo Fapetu’s deep cross fell to Keevan Hawthorne at the back post and the youngster's downward header beat United keeper Sean O’Neill.
Midway through the half Brian Healy had the chance to give Cliftonville the lead, though Sean O’Neill made a block with his leg to deny Healy netting on his league debut.
At the other end Shaun Leppard had to be alert to turn away a dangerous Success Edogun cross into the area.
Cliftonville were very much in the ascendancy with Joe Sheridan glancing onto the roof of the net from a Hawthorne cross and Fapetu blazing over the bar a minute later,
A turn and shot from Healy was blocked by Daithi McCallion from another dangerous Fapetu cross, while O’Neill gathered from a goal-bound Shaun Leppard header.
In first half injury time an inswinging Joe Sheridan corner was flicked on by the head of Adebayo Fapetu, but it flashed past the far post as it remained level at the break.
It was Cliftonville who applied the early pressure after the break as Fapetu curled a first time strike past the post and then had a further sighting charged down by Daithi McCallion.
However, Ballymena United regained the lead after 55 minutes. Former Reds midfielder Daire O’Connor fired in a low shot that Peter Morrison let slip and Igor Rutkowski was on hand to bundle the loose ball home and make it 2-1.
The home support felt Cliftonville should have been reduced to 10-men when Brian Healy caught Sean O’Neill in the attempt to control a long Peter Morrison punt forward.
Referee Christopher Morrison initially appeared to have pulled out a red card but after giving himself thinking time issued a yellow.
Rutkowski’s goal looked to have been the difference until the 87th minute when Cliftonville hit back again.
It was a goal that involved almost all of the substitutes with Reece Jordan and Rory Hale combining to pick out Harry Wilson, Wilson played an inch perfect pass into Liam McStravick in the area and his cut back was arrowed to the net by Joe Gormley.
Both sides pushed for a winner in the closing stages with an ambitious Gormley shot from range comfortably held by O’Neill in added time as the duo were forced to share the spoils at the conclusion.
BALLYMENA UNITED: O’Neill, Lafferty, Toure, O’Connor (Hood 90+1’), Rutkowski (Ebbe 82’), Clarke, McGeough, Edougan, McCallion, Murray (Scott 51’), Corbally (Thompson 51’).
CLIFTONVILLE: Morrison, McGarry, Casey, Leppard, Pepper, Wilson, Fapetu (Hale 68’), Sheridan (McStravick 68’), Hawthorne (Jordan 57’), Curran (McWoods 68’), Healy (Gormley 77’).
REFEREE: Christopher Morrison
