After battling back from a 1-0 half-time deficit to claim a deserved equaliser through Marty Verner, it looked as though Glenavon would claim a first point in the CIS Cup. Unfortunately, a misplaced back pass from Johnny Montgomery gave Kevin Kelbie an open goal to aim at and he made no mistake from the edge of the box.

Ballymena's captain, Gary Smyth, competes for the ball with Davy McAlinden

Although Glenavon started with an attack in the first minute that saw Simms having to head Campbell's dangerous cross over his own bar it was Ballymena who had the better of the first half. Sweeney and Kelbie both had headers go narrowly wide but the visitors did get the reward for their efforts Dominic Melly who smashed a left foot volley into the roof of the net when the ball fell to him about 12 yards out after Glenavon failed to clear a deep cross. Two minutes later Conor Walsh's shot hit his namesake in a crowded penalty area but Marty Verner should have equalised in the 26th minute when Montgomery's deflected shot ran across him 6 yards out in the middle of goal but he couldn't sort out his feet quickly enough to get what would have been a simple tap in.

In the 38th minute Kelbie broke through the Glenavon back line as Black slipped. He slipped the ball past the advancing McDonald but his shot crashed back off the upright. Amazingly, the clearance broke kindly to Campbell and he found himself in an identical situation at the other end. His shot was beaten away by McFredrick and when Verner crossed it back Campbell's near post header flew over the bar.

The home side were much improved in the second half as they concentrated on getting the ball down and playing it on the turf. Garth Walsh's cut back from the bye line in the 62nd minute was fired wide of the near post by Campbell. A minute later the referee played a good advantage to Ballymena when Black felled Sweeney and Melly's cross was met by the head of King forcing a good save from McDonald.

Verner equalised in the 67th minute with a close-range tap-in at the end of a flowing Glenavon move that started with a pin-point diagonal ball from McMahon to Garth Walsh. He fed Campbell and his low cross left the former Bangor striker an easy finish. McKnight replaced the disappointing Walsh and his vision and accurate passing created a number of opportunities in the closing stages and Glenavon even had a decent shout for a penalty turned down when Haveron handled in the box but that injury time winner for United once again left Glenavon rueing missed chances.