The struggling Sky Blues might have opened the scoring inside the opening few minutes when Andy Smith created an opening for George Stewart only for Crues 'keeper Chris Keenan to save well.

David Rainey fired the visitors into the lead on 19 minutes, though, with a superb left-foot curler into the top corner just after Gareth McKeown had tested Sean O'Neill with a couple of long range efforts.

Ross Arthurs might have doubled their lead a few minutes later when he slid the ball past the advancing O'Neill but could only look on in despair as it also went the wrong side of the post.

United levelled, however, on 36 minutes through Albert Watson who rose to meet a Philip Carson free-kick from the left to send a downward header into the corner past Keenan.

Roy Walker's side suffered a setback two minutes from the break when 'keeper O'Neill was dismissed following an off-the-ball incident to be replaced in goals by defender Mark Surgenor.

And it got worse for Ballymena six minutes into the second half when they were reduced to nine men when midfielder Aidan Watson walked after collecting his second yellow card of the game.

Unsurprisingly, the Crues regained the lead on 66 minutes through Colin Coates after he powered a header past Surgenor from a Martin Donnelly left-wing cross.

But United - still without a point this season - continued to fight with Andy Smith and David Cushley both creating chances in the latter part of the game.

Martin Donnelly might have added a touch of gloss to the scoreline for the visitors a minute into stoppage time only to fire over from the spot after Michael Smith tripped David McMaster.