The highly rated Scotsman struck after half-an-hour after collecting the ball just outside the area to unleash an unstoppable strick past Linfield 'keeper Stuart Addis.

And he doubled his tally - and ensured a first win of the campaign for the struggling Sky Blues - two minutes from time in similar circumstances with another drive to demonstrate just why David Jeffrey was so keen to acquire his services during the transfer window.

But the result could have been very different had the visitors not been thwarted by the woodwork twice inside the first ten minutes when first Glenn Ferguson and then Mark Miskimmin turned the ball onto the crossbar.

It was a similar tale of woe for the Blues just after the hour mark when Michael Carvill delivered a left-foot effort from outside the area onto an upright.

However, Ballymena might have grabbed more than the two goals themselves through a Neil Teggart glancing header from a free-kick while Kelbie had earlier beaten Noel Bailie only to pull the ball just wide of the post.

Picture Gallery (click to enlarge) Pictures: Stephen Hamilton/PressEye