My Ballymena United players need to defend their box better as Jim Ervin predicts many 'ups and downs' before the end of the season

The Sky Blues lost 4-2 at home to Dungannon Swifts last weekend as the visitors netted all four goals from set plays to leave Warden Street with all three points.

The defeat meant United remain in 11th spot in the table and Ervin has called on his players to kept the back door shut by not conceding sloppy goals.

He said: "I thought the difference in the game today (last Saturday) was they wanted to head the ball more than we did," Ervin told Ballymena United TV.

"It's as basic an explanation that I can give. Four set-pieces and they scored four goals.

"All that was was a desire of wanting to put their head in a lot more than what our boys did.

"That's how they got the goals. They didn't carve us open, Sean (O'Neill) didn't have many saves to make from open play but I suppose they didn't really need to when we gave them four goals from set plays.

"It hasn't been an issue for us all season, it's not like we're conceding goal after goal from set-pieces.”

Ervin previously spoke of his frustration about his side not being able to score goals but that hasn’t be an issue of late as the Braidmen have netted ten times in their last four games in all competitions.

Despite still being in the relegation zone, ex-Linfield defender Ervin has predicted many “ups and downs” before the season comes to a finish.

"We're now starting to score, now starting to create chances, which a couple of weeks ago was the issue,” he added.

"Now, we've seemed to have gone the other way where we don't want to put our head in when we're defending set-pieces.

"It will be a difficult game again but they're all difficult games.

"There's no two-ways about it but there's still a lot of football to be played between now and the end of the season.

"There will be many ups and downs no doubt but we'll have the boys prepared for Cliftonville on Saturday.”