|
Carnegie
First Division: Ards 1-2 Dundela
15th March 2008
 Dundela
edged out Ards in the second half of this game and gained the
psychological advantage ahead of next Wednesday's showdown in the
semi-final of the WKD Intermediate Cup.
But
today's prize was three league points that deservedly lifted Dundela
into third place in the table at the expense of Ards, who were easily
outplayed after the re-start. Tommy Kincaid surprisingly re-shuffled his
pack to give a start to new signing Chris Deegan. He turned out at
centre-back, with Darren Nixon moving to the right side of defence in
place of David Cully. Ricky Billing began his first game since November
up front, while Aaron McKee returned only for a spot on the bench.
The
earliest chance went to Dundela as their top marksman Matt Burrows got
in ahead of an Ards defender on three minutes to reach a cross ball and
toe-poke a shot at Andy McDonald. Ards made shouts for a penalty on 12
minutes when Jamsie Wilson was taken down from behind as a Craig
McMillen corner came in, but ref David Best seemed unnerved. As play
continued another cross found the head of Billing, whose looping header
just caught the netting on its way over.
A run
through the middle of the park from Roy on 24 minutes saw him win a free
kick 25 yards from the Duns' goal. The same player took the kick and the
ball again found the head of Billing, who this time set up Gary
Clifford, whose own header brought a flying save out of James Taylor.
Ards had a
scare on 25 minutes as an awkward corner ball in from Dundela caused
problems in the defence and saw Darren Nixon head against his own post.
The visitors then stepped up their game as the match moved into the
final quarter of an hour. A sharp break down the left side by Burrows
saw him feed the ball inside to Willie McIlroy, who was well-placed to
score, but hooked his shot wide of the target.
On 33
minutes Burrows was involved again as he somehow out-muscled Deegan for
the ball on the right bye-line and accurately squared a cross for Scott
Hill. His shot from six yards was saved by McDonald with his feet and
Ards breathed again. A better chance followed within sixty seconds as
again Burrows supplied the assist, this time for Tommy Parker, who drew
a diving save from McDonald with his low, well-hit drive.
Three
minutes into the new half Ards broke down the left side through McMillen.
His short pass inside for Stirling was knocked on to Ricky Billing and
as he prepared to fire was needlessly bundled over in the box by Hill.
The defender was lucky to escape with only a yellow card and Ards went
in front as Stirling blasted in Ards' first penalty kick of the season.
Ards then made their best move of the game with an hour played. Craig
McMillen brought the ball out of the Ards box and set away Johnny Roy.
His excellent run through the middle released Ricky Billing, who had his
thundering shot tipped over the top by Taylor.
Dundela
fought their way back into the game with an equaliser on 65 minutes. Sub
David Officer did the ground work on the left flank, before delivering a
pinpoint cross for Burrows, who headed in unmarked from only 6 yards -
his fiftieth strike of the season. Worse was to follow for Ards as they
saw the game turned around two minutes later. Ards had three or four
chances to stop the run of Tommy Parker through their lines, but no-one
made a worthwhile challenge and the defender was able slam home a low
shot that McDonald couldn't hold.
Ards sent
on Aaron McKee and Mark Parker to try and salvage the game and for a
time the Ards players played musical positions as Clifford moved to
right-back, Roy and McMillen switched wings, before Nixon, Pike and
Spence made up a back three. None of it made any difference, as the team
lacked ideas and failed to put together another decent move for the rest
of the game.
Dundela on
the other hand were always dangerous and never looked like resting on
their lead. Ards keeper McDonald had to save again from Burrows in the
79th minute and it was the final minute before Ards had another shot on
goal. Aaron McKee's free kick supplied the ball into the box, to be met
by a header from Nixon that the keeper gathered without too much
trouble. Wednesday's semi-final will give Ards a chance to try again,
but they will need to step up their game from this performance.
Match
Sponsors North Down Group (Fruit & Veg Wholesalers)
| Team |
Substitutes |
| 1 Andy McDonald (capt.)
(GK) |
6 Gareth Walsh (for
Wilson 80) |
| 2 Darren Nixon |
10 Aaron McKee (for
Deegan 72) |
| 3 Kris Pike |
14 Danny Mulholland |
| 4 Gary Spence |
18 David Cully |
| 5 James Wilson |
22 Mark Parker (for
Billing 66) |
7 Craig McMillen  |
|
| 9 Darren Stirling |
Referee
David Best |
| 11 Ricky Billing |
|
| 12 Johnny Roy |
Scorer
Darren Stirling 48 pen |
| 15 Gary Clifford |
|
| 21 Chris Deegan |
|
[
Discuss this story on the
TALKards
forum ]
|
