IFA Championship 1
Dergview 2-0 Ards

Ards failed to find the net for the third successive league game as goals from Stephen Campbell and Johnny Lafferty gave Dergview a 2-0 win.

Ards succumbed to two late goals from the home side, both scored within the final five minutes, to continue the slide down the Championship 1 table. Ards had been able to welcome back defenders Darren Nixon and Rab Young - Young taking the place of the banned David Cully and Nixon coming back for Gary Spence, who was less than a hundred per cent. Adam Arthurs also began the game, displacing Ryan Berry from a re-organised midfield.

Ards began brightly with Ross Arthurs involved in a couple of early chances including a second minute free kick that he put narrowly over the crossbar. On 15 minutes a quick throw in on the right of the field by Nathan McConnell found Mark Picking and he set-up Jimmy McIlhagga in the area who unfortunately fluffed his chance in front of goal. Seconds later and Dergview enjoyed their first chance of the game which goalkeeper McKibbin had to palm away prior to James Cully clearing the danger.

The Ards goal was in near danger again on 20 minutes when a free kick sent in from Dergview from just outside the box skipped just by an upright. The home side threatened again with another free kick on 42 minutes after Nixon had fouled on the left side of the Ards area. The resulting kick caused trouble in the Ards goal area but was eventually scrambled clear to take the game to half-time scoreless.

The new half began with a great move from Ards on 52 minutes. A well worked passing move that saw the ball swept from right to left eventually found Adam Arthurs in the box but he wasted his chance by firing the ball high and wide. Dergview responded seven minutes later and McKibbin was called on to make a save high to his left.

Ards withdrew their captain Nixon on 65 minutes causing a re-shuffle that had McIlhagga move to centre-back and Ryan Berry come into the centre of the park. On 66 minutes Ards survived a real scare in the area as a frantic period of play saw the ball ricochet wildly around the Ards area and only a combination of McKibbin and some last ditch Ards defending kept the score at nil-nil.

On 74 minutes Ards threatened at the other end with a shot fizzing across the Dergview box to reach Berry but he fired a return effort high and wide. The home side soon made three changes that within moments paid dividends. Dergview took the lead in the 86th minute as a poor attempted clearance by Ciaran Boyd gifted the ball to Stephen Campbell and he fired past McKibbin, high to the goalkeeper's left.

The 89th minute then saw Dergview put some gloss on their performance by netting a second goal. The Ards defending was suspect again as a free kick delivered into the box made it's way through to the unmarked Johnny Lafferty and he powered a header into the net to secure the points for his side.

Ards Team 1 Graeme McKibbin (GK), 2 Rab Young, 5 Darren Nixon (capt.), 14 James Cully, 16 Ciaran Boyd, 19 Mark Picking, 11 Aaron McKee, 17 Jimmy McIlhagga, 21 Adam Arthurs, 9 Nathan McConnell, 10 Ross Arthurs

Substitutes 4 Gary Spence, 6 Ryan Berry (for Nixon), 13 Paul Kee (GK), 15 Gareth Corey (for A.Arthurs)

Referee D Colton

8th October 2011

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