Carnegie First Division: Ballyclare Comrades 0-1 Ards
5th April 2008

Not too much football on display at Dixon Park on Saturday as the swirling wind made for difficult conditions, but Ards collected three valuable points as Tommy Kincaid's side continue to pull away from the foot of the table.

Second-placed Ballyclare's chance of over-hauling Loughgall at the other end of the league took a further knock with this defeat in a game that they never really looked like winning. The same Ards starting eleven took the field for the fourth consecutive game with the visiting side enjoying the opening chance in the tenth minute.

A short cross from Craig McMillen was played across the Ballyclare area towards the right hand side where James Wilson was on hand to strike the ball off the base of the near upright. Ards followed that up on 19 minutes with another near miss; this time a Ricky Billing ball pulled back from the bye-line found Darren Stirling in the centre but his low volley whizzed past the goal.

Ards went in front with 28 minutes gone when a McMillen corner from the left found Billing lurking at the front post and he deftly flicked the ball into Mannus' near corner. Gary Spence was correctly booked on 35 minutes for a cynical challenge as Ballyclare tried to make in-roads on the Ards goal and a minute later Ards' keeper and captain Andy McDonald was called into action. The Comrades weren't too far away from finding an equaliser as a Dick free kick from outside the area squeezed through the keeper's legs but a relieved McDonald was quick to spin around and gather the ball on the goal-line.

A chance opened up quickly for Ards on 38 minutes when a missed header by a defender let in Ricky Billing, but the goal-scorer shot hurriedly and blazed well high and well wide. Last chance of the half went to Comrades' Adam Dick who got inside the Ards area to fire a shot at goal that McDonald stopped with his legs before Spence got the ball away for a corner.

Ten minutes into the new half and Ballyclare fired the opening shots with a pair of chances from full-back Michael Smith. He made strong claims that his first effort had been blocked by the arm of James Wilson, well outside the box it must be added, while the same player's follow-up shot didn't miss the goal by too much.

Darren McKay had a later chance for the home side, breaking in from the right side of the Ards area to fire wide of the goal and that would be one the clearest chances for the remainder of the half. What little football had been on show was being done by Ards but even they weren't offering to too much to suggest that the game might turn into a classic.

A fortunate chance opened up for Ards on 76 minutes when a cross from Johnny Roy was headed out by a defender straight to the boot of Wilson who sent back in a volley that didn't trouble the scorers. A win and three points gained for Ards, who will to carry this form into the final round of games.

Team	Substitutes
1 Andy McDonald (capt.) (GK)	14 Danny Mulholland (for Billing 90)
2 Darren Nixon	16 Stephen Johnston
3 Kris Pike	17 Stuart Long
4 Gary Spence 35	18 David Cully (for Roy 80)
5 James Wilson	20 Justin McBride (for Stirling 80)
7 Craig McMillen
9 Darren Stirling	Referee David Mulholland
10 Aaron McKee
11 Ricky Billing	Scorers Ricky Billing 28
12 Jonny Roy
15 Gary Clifford

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