It may still be the early stages of the JJB Sports Premiership but already there is talk of a crisis at Ballymena United — and on the basis of their early season performances, it isn’t too early.

At the beginning of the campaign many pundits felt that new manager Roy Walker would awaken the sleeping giants from their slumber and lead the Braidmen to success at last.

He needs a louder alarm clock!

United’s only victory this season arrived against Ballyclare Comrades in the Co Antrim Shield – that was how their season began.

Since then Walker’s side have shipped in 17 goals in five games, culminating in an embarassing performance in the Shield on Tuesday when they were hammered 6-1 by a far from full-strength Glentoran side.

Now, four league games into the season, United fans are bracing themselves for what could arguably described as a must-win game when they host equally poor Glenavon at the Showgrounds. And even Walker, who is dismayed by his side’s current displays, has described it as a ‘six-pointer’.

“You ask players to do certain jobs, they're not hard jobs, you give them someone to mark and they don't do it,” he said.

“Now we are in a massive game (tomorrow), it’s a real six pointer. I'm truly at a loss to understand why the simplest of instructions cannot be carried out.”

Failure to do that tomorrow will see United prop up the table.