Ards clawed back a two goal deficit to claim a point at Harland & Wolff Welders in a drama filled second half.

Niall Currie's team remain unbeaten in the league under his leadership, but only just following this encounter at Tillysburn Park - a place where Ards have traditionally found the going tough. Currie named the same eleven that started last week's cup defeat, with Kyle McDowell for Rab Young the only change on the bench.

Ards began brightly forcing the Welders into a number of defensive situations within the first few seconds. Initial danger came from Mark Picking, who picked up a ball on the right and crossed for Ross Arthurs, whose header was tipped over the bar by Michael Dougherty. The ensuing corner produced a similar outcome with Berry's cross ball finding Darren Nixon and again Dougherty pushing the ball over.

The home side responded with a couple of corners of their own, which Graeme McKibbin had no trouble dealing with before the Welders found themselves in front on 18 minutes. A high ball up the field seemed to catch out Ards defender Gary Spence, who inadvertently headed the ball backwards and over his own goalkeeper into an unguarded net.

When Ards did get the ball, they played some good stuff with makeshift striker Aaron McKee a tireless worker. The strong wind in the Welders' favour was always causing Ards problems though and ensured that the home side remained dangerous. On 34 minutes a good breakaway saw Spence at full steam to keep up with the Welders attacker and he duly safeguarded the ball into McKibbin.

Ards' Ross Arthurs stung the hands of Dougherty with a drive out of nothing on 36 minutes before the Welders got a second goal. A sharp ball up the field saw McKibbin come quickly out of his area to bundle over the Welders forward and earn himself a yellow card. That misdemeanor earned the home side a free kick, 22 yards out that Stuart King would send expertly into the top corner of the net.

Ards made two much needed changes at the break, bringing on Jimmy McIlhagga and James Cully for the booked Devine and the injured Nixon. The change in pace paid dividends with Ards pulling a goal back on 58 minutes. David Cully began the move, sending a ball up the right flank for Picking. His cross ball found Ryan Berry who directed a header that Dougherty could only palm back into play and that was all the invitation needed for Aaron McKee to tap home.

Things deteriorated further for the Welders three minutes later when defender Willie Armstrong clumsily brought down David Cully out on the right to pick up his second yellow card of the game and reduce his team to ten men. Worse followed for Welders with an altercation between Paul Muir and Ards' James Cully that the near side assistant flagged up to referee Evan Boyce. When the dust settled Muir saw his second yellow card of the match to follow Armstrong down the tunnel and Cully was quickly after them as he was red carded for allegedly leaning with his head.

A better show from Ards in the second period had them looking more likely to get something out of the game and an 82nd minute chance saw Arthurs run at and evade Dougherty to put a decent cross over that substitute McDowell screwed wide. The equalising goal was just around the corner though with Arthurs breaking into the box and slipping a tame shot across the Welders box that was unfortunately turned into his own net by a defender Scott McMillen.

The Welders were to pick up a further three yellow cards before the game was out and they were very lucky not to surrender the three points to their visitors. With the ninety minutes up and injury time being played Ards could not have asked for a better chance to complete an unlikely turnaround. Goal-scorer McKee was this time the provider, putting over a deep cross that found McDowell unmarked in the centre, but with the goal at his mercy the winger ballooned his header well over the bar to leave his side to settle for just a point.

21st January 2012