Ballymena United boss Jim Ervin hoping for positive news after Colin Coates injury

Ballymena United defender Colin Coates left the match against Crusaders early due to injury

Ballymena United boss Jim Ervin is hoping for the best but fearing the worst as he awaits the diagnosis of skipper Colin Coates’ injury.

The 37-year-old was stretched off in Friday night’s Sports Direct Premiership defeat by Crusaders at Seaview.

After treatment from the medical teams of both clubs, it was hoped the injury was not as serious as first thought, although Coates – who spent the best part of two decades at the Crues before leaving for Glenavon – left the ground on crutches.

Ervin revealed the player’s knee is still badly swollen and he is booked in for a scan this week, hoping to pinpoint the problem.

“We still don’t know the full extent of the damage,” said Ervin.

“He left Seaview with his father at half-time, but his knee was swollen badly. It looked bad at the time.

“The medical boys thought his knee may have popped out and then popped back in again. By the time the physio got on, his knee was intact, there was just a lot of swelling.

“So we’ll not really know until Colin has the scan, we’ll keep our fingers crossed for him.”

Coates’ former boss Stephen Baxter was also concerned when the defender buckled inside his own penalty box.

“We wish him well,” said Baxter.

“It’s never a nice thing to see any player being stretched off a football pitch. These guys give their all, we see it week in, week out.

“So, when you see someone being carried off, it’s always a worry. Hopefully, he makes a quick recovery.”

Ervin was, meanwhile, encouraged by his team’s performance and believes his boys can haul themselves away from the bottom of the League table.

“There were a lot of positives from the performance, it was just a lack of