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Carnegie
First Division: Ards 1-3 Banbridge Town
19th April 2008
Banbridge fought
back from a goal down and a position of being totally outclassed to
claim the three points at Clandeboye today, as Ards' mini-run of good
results came to an end.
Town turned the tables on
Ards in the second half and opened up their defence much too easily to
score the winning goals after Ards had striker Ricky Billing sent off
for a foolish head-butt. The home side missed both Gary Spence and Gary
Clifford from their defence, meaning a run-out at centre-back for young
David Cully, while Stephen Johnston came in at right-back.
The game began at a
terrific pace with Ards dominating the play and keeping Banbridge very
much in their own half. A shot out of nothing from Billing on 9 minutes
brought the first save out of Town keeper William McFredrick, who stood
up well behind the fierce 25 yard effort. An excellent piece of football
on 16 minutes saw the impressive Craig McMillen set off on a run through
the Banbridge midfield, eventually spreading the ball out right to
Johnny Roy. His header on for Billing saw the ball flicked into the
centre where Stirling crashed an overhead kick off the crossbar.
 |
James
Wilson -
6 for the season |
Three minutes later and
Ards got their noses in front as a free kick was played out to Johnston
on the right. His low pass to the near post was deftly turned across the
goal area by McMillen onto the foot of James Wilson and he could
hardly miss from four yards. Some excellent passing from McKee
and tireless running by McMillen was causing a rash of problems for the
Banbridge side. The 25th minute however saw the Town draw a top notch
save from Andy McDonald, who flew across his goal to one-handedly tip a
Mark Quinn shot onto the crossbar.
A minute later and
Banbridge had an unlikely equaliser as the Ards defence opened up to
allow a pass through to striker Barry Meehan and he knocked the
ball around McDonald to square up the game. A well-worked
one-two between Ards' Wilson and Billing on 40 minutes saw striker
Billing test McFredrick again, this time with an 18 yard shot that must
have stung the goalkeeper's hands.
Then as the last seconds
of the half ticked away a quick throw in from Kris Pike saw McKee latch
onto the loose ball and rocket a first time shot high into the arms of
the goalkeeper. Ards' grip on the match was such that they could have
gone in at half three or four up, but instead the 60th minute signalled
the end to their control of the game.
As an Ards free kick
arrived in the Banbridge box a clash between Billing and Quinn saw the
players square up and Billing deliver a senseless head-butt to his
opponent. The easiest call of the match for referee Eakin to make and Billing
was sent down the tunnel for the second time this season.
With Ards down to ten men
Johnny Roy was pushed up front with almost immediate results. A 68th
minute flick on from Stirling found the over-lapping Roy in on goal,
where he proceeded to go around McFredick, who did excellently well to
recover and save Roy's eventual shot from the floor.
On 75 minutes a free kick
went Banbridge's way for a foul by Wilson and when the Ards defence
failed to deal with Henry's cross in the ball ran loose for Mark
Quinn to strike  home
to the far post. If that goal had looked a long time coming, Banbridge
didn't rest on their newly-acquired lead. In a second half that lacked
spark and passion it took more slack Ards defending in the final minute
to gift Banbridge their third strike. Nixon had done initially well to
block Meehan's surge for goal but when the ball was returned to him, Meehan
made no mistake, hitting the net before McDonald had thought to
move.
| Team |
Substitutes |
| 1 Andy McDonald (capt.)
(GK) |
6 Stuart Long |
| 2 Darren Nixon |
14 Danny Mulholland |
| 3 Kris Pike |
20 Justin McBride |
5 James Wilson  77 |
22 Mark Parker (for
Johnston 87) |
| 7 Craig McMillen |
|
| 9 Darren Stirling |
Referee
Gareth Eakin |
| 10 Aaron McKee |
|
11 Ricky Billing  60 |
Scorer
James Wilson 19 |
| 12 Jonny Roy |
|
| 16 Stephen Johnston |
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| 18 David Cully |
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