WKD Intermediate Cup R5: Ards Rangers 0-4 Ards
23rd February 2008

Ards avoided the potential banana skin of exiting the WKD Intermediate Cup to Ards Rangers, thanks to a first double from midfielder Johnny Roy.

Roy's first goal, a smartly taken free kick after just six minutes, settled Ards' nerves and from there they never really looked back. The only change in the Ards line-up saw Justin McBride come in for Darren Stirling, who was unfit to play, while Ards Rangers fielded several ex-Ards men including JoJo Adair, Alun Rees and Neil Moore.

What could have been called an expectant crowd didn't have to wait long for the first goal as Craig McMillen's run through the Rangers defence was brought to an abrupt end on the edge of the home penalty box. The challenge earned a yellow card but worse was to follow for Ards Rangers as Johnny Roy confidently lashed home the ensuing free kick.

Ards slipped easily into their stride after that and a 14th minute opening for Aaron McKee saw him strike a rising shot from the floor that just lifted up over the Rangers' crossbar. A better chance followed three minutes later when James Wilson's through ball was missed by everyone in the home defence and landed at the feet of a disbelieving Mark Parker some 35 yards out. He hesitantly made in-roads on goal and slipped around the home keeper, only to let the ball run too wide and eventually lose the chance to score.

Johnny Roy

Ards keeper and captain Andy McDonald had but once piece of work to do in the first half - easily scooping up a rather tame effort that Moore struck in from a Rangers free kick. In all honestly it was referee Ross Dunlop who was the busiest man on the park, having to issue several yellow cards in response to some Ards Rangers challenges, with a number of others going unpunished.

Ards' second goal on 40 minutes had a similar look to the Parker chance earlier in the half. Again it was Wilson releasing the ball from midfield, this time for Johnny Roy, who successfully navigated around McIlveen to slip the ball into the open goal. To the relief of many Ards supporters that second strike signalled job done, and the well supported home side would offer little to argue otherwise in the second half.

It was Ards who continued to look dangerous around goal and an unlikely shot from Craig McMillen out wide on the Ards right almost caught out McIlveen; the goalkeeper having to save with his feet. An Ards third arrived on 68 minutes when Pike sent an accurate ball down the left bye-line for McMillen to chase. He skillfully cut into the box and placed the ball to the keeper's far left corner to heap more misery on the local rivals.

Wilson and then Nixon both were yellow carded in quick succession by referee Dunlop as a number of Ards players began to show frustration at the continued Ards Rangers aggression. On 80 minutes McDonald in the Ards goal was asked to make a rare save, holding onto header from inside the penalty box from Matt Adair.

Rangers' best chance followed soon after with a whipped ball delivered into the Ards box dropping conveniently for striker Mark Miller, but he wasted the chance by scooping the ball high over the bar. Ards wrapped up the scoring with a minute to play. Substitute Ryan Hyland sent McMillen away into the left corner and his return pass was inadvertently knocked on again by Hyland, into the path of makeshift striker James Wilson, who could do nothing but tap the ball into the net.

Team	Substitutes
1 Andy McDonald (capt.) (GK)	15 Gary Clifford (Parker 83)
2 Darren Nixon 73	16 Stephen Johnston (for Cully 86)
3 Kris Pike	17 Ryan Hyland (for McBride 72)
4 Gary Spence
5 James Wilson 71	Referee Ross Dunlop
7 Craig McMillen
10 Aaron McKee	Scorers Johnny Roy 6, 40, Craig McMillen
11 Mark Parker	68, James Wilson 89
12 Johnny Roy
18 David Cully
20 Justin McBride

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