If there are red ribbons dangling on the side of the Gibson Cup come the end of April, Cliftonville could well look back to a damp, cold, miserable day at the Ballymena Showgrounds as the major turning point.

With five minutes remaining, Tommy Breslin’s men had failed to turn their territorial dominance into anything tangible when suddenly, from absolutely nothing, a young man with venom in his boots lit up the day with a simply stunning strike.

Joe Gormley’s 86th minute winner is the stuff title dreams are made of — a last throw of the dice by a manager who can see two crucial points drifting away down the Braid and longing for just one of the seven goals they rattled in on their last visit to Warden Street.

Gormley scored for fun at junior level and his memorable goal and match-winning cameo at the weekend show that he is an invaluable part of the Reds’ title challenge. Their classy left-back, Ronan Scannell, had the perfect view of the howitzer of a shot that got the better of the inspired Dwayne Nelson, who had kept the visitors at bay up to that point.

“With Linfield and Portadown getting comfortable victories, getting a result down here was a necessity and to do it in the style that we did makes it all the better,” said Scannell.

“Fair play to Ballymena, they were very adventurous with the formation, going three up top, and it caused us a few problems getting to grips with it. I think once we did we were the better team.

“We didn’t cause them that many problems at the back and we should have had a few more clear-cut chances, but to get a result up here is always difficult, so we’re delighted.

“We knew that the 7-3 (result) would be a big part of their team-talk, so we knew they were going to come out fighting and it would never be one of those games. We knew it was going to be difficult and it was.

“We’ve always got Joe on the bench and I heard the fans shouting for him at the end. We always have that option and the wee man is unreal.

“In training when he hits a shot it normally goes in or hits the target. I was lucky enough to be standing right behind him and when it left his boot I knew it was in.

“There’s great competition, with Liam Boyce and Dairmuid O’Carroll and they’ve formed a good partnership up front and they’re keeping Chris (Scannell) out too, so that shows how good they are. Joe’s still a young fella and the future’s in front of him and if he keeps playing like that he’ll do alright.”

And it’s that embarrassment of riches that could turn this present crop of Reds into a vintage capable of going all the way.

“I think the last lot of years when we’ve been challenging we’ve tailed away by not scoring goals more than anything,” admitted Scannell. “But we’ve got four potent strikers now at the club and that can only bring us success.

“There’s five games left to the split and we just want to be there or thereabouts for the last six games.

“We’ve three at home and two away so it’s all to play for and I know Linfield have a few hard games coming up, so all we can do is keep ploughing away.

“If you’re thereabouts at this stage of the season you want to be challenging. Week-in, week-out there are difficult games.

“I think we’ve Glentoran next, then Linfield and Portadown — three massive games — and, if we get some good results, it’ll open it right up.”

Manager Tommy Breslin, added: “We can only control what we can do. I can’t control Linfield or Portadown’s results unless we’re playing them, so we’ve got 10 games left and we’ll go and give it our best shot in each and every one of them and see where it takes us.

“The 1-0 was actually more satisfying (than the 7-3) because we haven’t been keeping clean sheets and, to be fair, Ballymena are vastly improved. They’re got better, but I’m just delighted to get the three points.”

Defeat was hard to swallow for Ballymena boss Glenn Ferguson as, for the second game in a row, his side was downed by a wonder strike, but there will be no pressing the panic button just yet.

“When we first came in we said to them if you really start to work hard in training and in matches, then the luck will turn, but unfortunately at the minute any luck we’re having is bad,” he said.

“You’ve got to give Joe Gormley credit and you’ve got to give Matthew Paget (who scored Portadown’s late winner in Unted’s previous outing) credit. They were great strikes to win games but, on another day, the one that hit the post and stopped on the line would have gone in for us and that’s the type of luck we’re talking about.

“I firmly believe that, if we keep working hard in training and doing the right things well, it will eventually turn.”