There wasn't too much to get excited over at Adams Park in Millisle on Thursday night as Ards scraped to a one-all draw with Abbey Villa.

It took a Gary Sharratt strike ten minutes from the end to level the match after Villa had gone ahead two minutes into the second half. Ards boss Tommy Kincaid had chosen the match to look at most of his new signings, including goalkeeper Andy McDonald, defenders James Wilson and Stephen Johnston and his own son Darren Kincaid.

Injuries and holidays meant Ards were lacking punch up front with teenager Sharratt partnered by Johnny Roy and throughout the first half it showed. There was little of anything to note for the first twenty minutes, from either side in fact.

It was Roy who had the first effort for Ards, cutting in from the left to a range of six yards or so, before hitting a shot that the keeper parried one-handed. 25 minutes into the game and midfielder David Brotherston, who enjoyed a decent outing, launched a shot from 25 yards well over the bar.

The same player did better with his next effort 15 minutes later, forcing the Villa keeper into a save. The half ended with Sharratt getting a rare look at goal when he got on the end of a right-wing Johnston cross, which he headed wide.

An early break by Villa after the re-start led to scramble inside the Ards penalty area with McDonald diving on the ball to restore composure. The 47th minute saw the hosts take a lead with questions to be asked of McDonald who appeared to allow a sheepish looking cross from the right to sneak right over his head and into the net.

A cross ball from Darren Kincaid on 54 minutes set up Sharratt again and this time his effort was headed off the line. The young winger Kincaid had a shot on goal himself a couple of minutes later after turning two opponents to get in shooting range.

A steady drip of substitutions made for a disjointed second period, in which neither side found much favour with their opposition defences. There were a few half chances but in the end it took until the 80th minute for Ards to level the game. A right-footed drive from Sharratt produced the goal as he found the far corner of the Villa goal after cutting in past a defender from the left.

Ards head for Dromara on Saturday with likely a very different line-up.

Scorer Gary Sharratt 80

Ards Team 1 Andy McDonald (GK), 2 Stephen Johnston, 3 James Wilson, 4 Darren Nixon, 5 Johnny Cleary, 6 Ryan Hyland, 7 David Brotherston, 8 Glenn Booth, 9 Gary Sharratt, 10 Johnny Roy, 11 Darren Kincaid

Substitutes 14 Gary Clifford (for Booth), 15 Gary Spence (for Nixon), 17 Darren McCullough (for Kincaid), 18 Bowers (for Brotherston), Aaron McKee, Kris Pike, Johnny Shaw, Jason Mooney (GK)

Referee Leslie Tipping

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