Ards Colts continued on from their impressive pre-season form by claiming all 3 points in the first league game of the season away to Coleraine on Saturday.

Played on the main Showgrounds pitch Ards dominated the 1st half with some slick passing one touch football which completely caught Coleraine off guard. Craig McConkey in particular was finding lots of room in the midfield and his surging runs and excellent movement was causing Coleraine all sorts of problems.

However it was new boy Tony Tumelty who opened the scoring for Ards after 10 minutes with a superb turning half volley from 25 yards which flew past the Coleraine keeper and into the top left hand stanchion of the net. The goal seemed to give Ards that extra confidence they needed as they continued to dominate with Coleraine rarely getting out of their half for long periods. Gary Sharratt, who was having a superb game at right midfield, put a Beckham-like cross in between two opposing defenders and found Tumelty this time bravely diving in between them to head the ball strongly past the helpless keeper.

Ards where then unlucky not to find themselves even further in front with Thomas Gorman making the keeper pull off two excellent saves, and Jamie Patterson narrowly heading over twice from two corners.

Ards however did find themselves a third after 35 minutes with Tumelty and Sharratt cleverly linking up. Sharratt had ghosted into the box and cleverly played the ball into Tumelty’s path. Tony side-stepped the advancing keeper and with a very acute angle in front of him showed great awareness by squaring the ball back to Sharratt who side footed into the empty net.

Coleraine, who had started to get to grips with the game in the second half, looked more intent and pushed further forward starting to get a bit of joy out of a tiring Ards midfield. Craig McConkey gave a free kick away around 25 yards from goal but as the ball was still moving the Coleraine player immediately hit the ball into the net as keeper Jason Mooney was organising his wall. Quick thinking at its best but this had annoyed the Ards players as the ball was still moving when hit. The goal however stood but gave Ards the shake of life they needed as they started to slowly display the skill they had shown in the first half.

Sharratt and Gorman were starting to cause real problems at the back once again with their pace but it was that man Tumelty again who celebrated his first competitive game in an Ards shirt with a hat trick. Tony strongly held off two challenges from defenders before selling the keeper a dummy and tapping into the net to restore Ards 3 goal advantage.

The game died as a contest shortly after with hat-trick boy Tumelty having to come off with a slight knock and Kerri Grant coming off with a dead leg. Ards were however more than happy to hold on for an excellent result.

This now takes Ards into next week’s home match against Cliftonville hoping that Tumelty can keep his incredible record of 12 goals from 7 matches going.

ardsfc.co.uk