Carnegie First Division: Banbridge Town 1-3 Ards
22nd April 2008

Ards got their revenge on Banbridge Town on Tuesday night as Tommy Kincaid's side reversed the 3-1 score-line they had lost by at Clandeboye Park on Saturday.

In a match that will be remembered more for its mistakes than its endeavors, Ards won with two goals from stand-in striker Mark Parker, helped along by another from James Wilson - his third in three matches.

Any fans who were running late and fearing they might miss kick off needn't have worried; the late arrival of the Banbridge goalkeeper meant the starting time was pushed back to 7.10pm. No such problems for the travelling Ards team, with only Ricky Billing missing out through suspension, replaced up front by Parker.

The game began with an early chance for each side. Firstly Town forward Barry Meehan burst past Darren Nixon inside the opening minute to test Andy McDonald with an attempted lob. Then at the other end Parker received the ball from Wilson on the edge of the Banbridge area and with his back to goal, turned and didn't miss the net by too much.

By the 8th minute Ards had the lead, in curious circumstances. The home keeper was penalised for collecting a back-pass, that by most accounts had in fact been played to him off a defender's knee. A free kick was awarded nonetheless and the quick thinking Darren Stirling knocked the ball right to Parker and he lashed home with the Banbridge defence is disarray.

The home side had their best chance to level things with 27 minutes played when former Portadown man Aaron Baker carried the ball to the left corner of the Ards goal area and appeared well in with a chance to score. Alas, from a matter of yards he missed the target completely with the ball sent scurrying across the face of goal. The half ended with another Parker effort for Ards that skidded past the far Banbridge upright.

The second period began in bizarre fashion as first Banbridge returned with only ten men (Ryan Evans had got injured) and then they levelled the match with a few seconds gone. As the game re-started some awful confusion in the Ards defence led to a seemingly harmless punt up the field coming off Barry Meehan and landing in the back of the net as defender Nixon and his goalkeeper collided - one-one with over forty-four minutes to play.

Mark Parker

Ards stepped up well after that and enjoyed a decent spell of possession that allowed them to create two or three good chances. On 53 minutes a through ball from McKee released Stephen Johnston into the penalty area and his shot on the turn was well pushed away by the goalkeeper. From the resulting corner Ards midfielder James Wilson rose highest to meet the ball, heading in from four yards to make 2-1.

There was almost a third two minutes later as a hopeful shot from Craig McMillen from outside the area was fumbled onto the crossbar by the keeper, who must have been glad to see his defender shield the ball away from Stirling who had raced in for the follow-up. Approaching the hour mark Banbridge made one of their few second half raids into the Ards area when Barry Tumilty got his head to a cross at the right post, but he had to watch his goal-bound shot cleared by Johnston, who was injured in the process.

A better chance followed five minutes later when a bit of scramble in the Ards area saw a shot blocked by Pike and then Andy McDonald push a follow up onto the crossbar. On 79 minutes Ards were awarded a free kick out on the left touchline for a foul on McMillen. The kick was taken by Roy and excellently picked out Darren Stirling, who stole in at the back post only to poke the ball wide.

With 8 minutes left Ards scored a third goal out of absolutely no danger. A neat one-two involving McKee and Justin McBride saw the ball pushed onto Mark Parker and his first time shot from 20 yards somehow trickled between the goalkeeper's legs to confirm the three points. As the game faded into almost farcical darkness Ards introduced midfielder Stuart Long for his long-delayed debut. Meanwhile Ballyclare's one-all draw in Coagh confirmed Loughgall as First Division champions.

Team	Substitutes
1 Andy McDonald (capt.) (GK)	6 Stuart Long (for Wilson 86)
2 Darren Nixon	20 Justin McBride (for Pike 71)
3 Kris Pike
5 James Wilson	Referee Alan Hayes
7 Craig McMillen
9 Darren Stirling	Scorers Mark Parker 8, 82, James Wilson
10 Aaron McKee	54
12 Jonny Roy
16 Stephen Johnston 32
18 David Cully
22 Mark Parker

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