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 Darren Steele
10 Aaron McKee
11 Ricky Billing 60	Scorer James Wilson 19
12 Jonny Roy
16 Stephen Johnston
18 David Cully

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