Wayne Buchanan (left) and Davitt Walsh battle for possession

Lisburn Distillery moved to the top of the JJB Sports Premiership after claiming a hard-earned win over struggling Ballymena United on Tuesday.

Neal Gawley curled in a great goal for the Whites on 41 minutes.

Gawley was then bundled over in the box on 52 minutes by Gavin McDonnell and Gary Browne scored the spot-kick.

Neil Teggart notched a penalty for Ballymena on 75 minutes and Whites goalkeeper Alex Spackman denied Davitt Walsh a late equaliser.

Teggart's penalty came after he himself had been bundled over in the penalty area by Wayne Buchanan.

Four minutes earlier, Gawley had almost hit a third goal for the visitors as his 25-yard shot hit the woodwork with keeper Sean O'Neill beaten.

But Teggart's penalty gave the home side hope and they produced pressure in the closing 15 minutes.

Walsh should have levelled but his weak shot was stopped by Spackman.

In the closing minutes, Ballymena threatened the Distillery goal on a couple of occasions but the Whites managed to avert the danger as they held on to claim all three points.

The victory means Paul Kirk's side are two points ahead of Coleraine at the top of the table.

Ballymena remain rooted to the bottom on two points as the pressure continues to pile up on Roy Walker in his first season in charge at the club.