Ballymena United 1, Glenavon 0

The Scottish striker confidently tucked away the 94th minute spot-kick after Gary Muir had been brought down by Glenavon keeper Andrew Plummer in a manic goalmouth scramble.

It was cruel on Glenavon but the win takes United above Portadown into eighth place in the Carling Premiership table.

The early stages had suggested that Ballymena might have had the result wrapped up long before the injury time drama.

Three times inside the opening 10 minutes, Paul Carvill headed goalbound efforts off the Glenavon goal-line.

The first, on seven minutes, came when Lurgan Blues defender Jay Magee headed Muir's corner toward his own goal, only for Carvill to head clear off the underside of the crossbar. When the ball was returned goalwards by Gary Haveron, Carvill had maintained his position to once again head off the line.

Remarkably, just two minutes later, Carvill was at it again, this time heading Albert Watson's header from a corner off the line, again via the underside of his own crossbar.

Glenavon had to play second fiddle for most of the opening period but almost snatched a stunning opener five minutes before the interval when Trevor Molloy cut inside Lee Colligan and unleashed a left-foot drive which cannoned off the United crossbar with keeper Dwayne Nelson beaten.

Glenavon upped their game at the start of the second half and James Costello had two good openings, the first saved by the body of Nelson, while he also shot wide of the near post when put clear on goal by Ryan Harpur.

Glenavon thought they had taken the lead with 10 minutes left when Willo McDonagh headed home a Harpur free kick at the back post but the referee's assistant ruled the goal out for an earlier offside.

Ballymena's best chance of the second period came with five minutes left when Noel Anderson arrived in the penalty area to meet Kelbie's knock-down on the half-volley but his well-struck effort was straight down Plummer's throat.

Just when it seemed the game was going to end in stalemate, Anderson burst into the box and his cross from the left squirmed out of Plummer's grasp and the keeper brought down Muir as the United winger attempted to steer home the loose ball from virtually on the goal-line.

Referee Brian Turkington immediately pointed to the spot and Kelbie showed nerves of steel to tuck the spot kick into Plummer's top right-hand corner to seal victory for the Sky Blues.

"Looking at it objectively, over the 90 minutes, I thought we deserved to win the game," said United boss Roy Walker.

"We completely dominated the first half but didn't have anything to show for our labours, except for two efforts off the bar and one off the line.

"We played good football in the first half, at a good pace.

"I asked Jim (Grattan), who had a vantage point in the stand, why we dropped it a bit in the second half and while Glenavon probably lifted their game a bit, our passing and ball retention wasn't as good.

"Having said that, Noel had a great chance from the best move of the half but hit it straight at the keeper.

"For the penalty, my initial thought was that Gary had slipped but the player was convinced it was a stonewall penalty.

"Kevin hit the penalty with good pace and at a good height – the keeper went the right way but the height beat him and I'm delighted with the win," added Roy.

Ballymena United: Nelson, M Smith, Colligan, Haveron, Albert Watson, Taggart, Muir, Surgenor (sub McLaughlin 83), A Smith, Kelbie, Lockhart (sub Anderson 76). Subs (not used): Cushley, Stewart, Aidan Watson.

Glenavon: Plummer, Haughey, Dickson (sub McDonagh 46), Magee, Davey, Murray, Johnston, Harpur, Carvill (sub King 71), Molloy, Costello (sub Grant 76). Subs (not used): Walsh, Hamill.

Referee: Brian Turkington (Belfast).