VIDEO: United ‘not good enough’, admits Jenkins

Allan Jenkins delivered a withering verdict as Ballymena United’s turbulent season spluttered to a halt at the weekend.
Ballymena United skipper Allan Jenkins said his side's Irish Cup semi-final against Portadown summed up the season as a whole. Picture: Press Eye.Ballymena United skipper Allan Jenkins said his side's Irish Cup semi-final against Portadown summed up the season as a whole. Picture: Press Eye.
Ballymena United skipper Allan Jenkins said his side's Irish Cup semi-final against Portadown summed up the season as a whole. Picture: Press Eye.

The United skipper surveyed his side’s Irish Cup semi-final defeat by Portadown and candidly admitted: “We need to hold our hands up, we’re not good enough.

“To be honest, I think the performance we put on probably summed our season up and summed us up as a squad.

“We don’t defend well enough as a team, the goals against column in the league shows that and the goals we gave away against Portadown proves that and the blame lies with us as players.

Ballymena United skipper Allan Jenkins said his side's Irish Cup semi-final against Portadown summed up the season as a whole. Picture: Press Eye.Ballymena United skipper Allan Jenkins said his side's Irish Cup semi-final against Portadown summed up the season as a whole. Picture: Press Eye.
Ballymena United skipper Allan Jenkins said his side's Irish Cup semi-final against Portadown summed up the season as a whole. Picture: Press Eye.

“I wouldn’t even insult the supporters by apologising because I’m sure it means very little to them.

“We’ve let them down on a number of occasions this season and the Portadown game just followed that trend.

“We need to go and look at ourselves in the mirror as players and as professionals and question whether we’re producing it and looking at the league and the cups, we’re not.

“It seems to be a regular occurrence that we’re chasing our tails, trying to get back into games.

“It’s OK maybe doing that against a Championship team like the Welders but when you’re playing the team that’s third in the league, trying to claw back a three goal deficit is difficult when you’re playing well but when you’re playing the way we are, it was too much for us.

“Yes, we rallied in the second half and you might think that we were the better team but Portadown had done their job in 45 minutes and we had given them a helping hand with it because we never really made them work for any of their goals.

Supporters might say that we don’t show pride in the jersey. As an individual I don’t accept that but we need to show that we’re good enough to play at this level and stop making the same mistakes that we’ve made for 30 weeks of the season.

“Our wee run at the start of the season and a cup run probably paper over the cracks and probably lulled people into a false sense.

“Regardless of how you dress it up, as a squad, we’re a million miles away and it hurts me to say that because I include myself and all the boys in that,” added Jenkins.

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