 Limavady
United 3-2 Ards
Ladbrokes.com
Championship 1
Ards
met their match in Limavady on Tuesday night as a
slick display from the home side exposed some
defensive failings and saw United increase their lead
at the top of Championship 1.
Right from the start
Limavady had Ards on the back-foot as an early Paul
Owens goal gave them the lead and though Ards scored
twice themselves, there was only ever going to be one
winner from this game. Plenty of changes in the
line-up for this one as Tommy Kincaid opted for a
3-5-3 formation as James Wilson came into the centre
of defence and Wright, McKee and McMillen made up a
midfield three.
The opening goal from
Owens came on just four minutes as a needless
back-pass from Darren Nixon put McDonald under
pressure and when he hit a poor clearance one pass had
Owens in on goal and he finished well with a low shot
to the far post.
The problems
continued for Ards at the back as a stray pass
presented the ball to Peter Spratt on 7 minutes and
his shot didn't go too far over the Ards crossbar.
Minutes later and Gary Spence was caught in
possession, letting in United's Shane Jennings and he
flashed a shot past the upright.
Darren Armour became
Ards' first booking on 12 minutes for an off the ball
incident, but that would be a rare note of the
visitors' performance in a dire first half display. On
21 minutes a Limavady free kick out on the right
touchline bounced dangerously across the Ards goal and
then, just a minute later Andy McDonald had to spring
across his goal to make a save from a Davy Patton shot
that he must have seen very late.
Surprisingly Ards
found themselves back on level terms in the 29th
minute. Craig McMillen had been brought down on the
edge of the Limavady area as he spurred on towards
goal and that presented a good opening for Ards' free
kick man James Wright. It was an opening he didn't
turn down either as the young midfielder curled a
delightful effort into the far top corner that had
Michael Doherty beaten to the world.
Normal service soon
resumed though and Limavady ensured a half-time lead
with their second goal on 35 minutes. A poor decision
initially led to the goal, as the referee called a
foul against McMillen when really the Limavady player
had merely miscued. That that mattered not though to
Paul Owens, who put the 20 yard free kick across the
Ards box and into the far corner.
An early booking for
McMillen opened the second half for Ards but better
was to follow as Darren Armour earned a penalty on 57
minutes. As a cross came into the box Armour looked
favourite to get the ball, but some over-zealous
attempts to get ahead of him by defender McNulty had
the referee pointing to the spot. Armour himself had
missed the last kick, so duties now fell to full-back
Kris Pike and he made no mistake to pull the game back
to two-all.
That certainly lifted
the Ards spirits and they looked a much more competent
side from then on, though the threat from Limavady
remained ominously the same. Evidence of this was
shown on 65 minutes when Jennings broke away through
the middle in plenty of space. He took the hit early,
as he was right to do but Andy McDonald was well
placed to save at his left side. A very similar
opening appeared just seconds later and again it was
Jennings who had the chance, but this time the forward
hit an early lob over the keeper and past the far
upright.
After that, we had a
low drive from Pike beat the Limavady post by not too
much distance and then a flurry of yellow cards for
the Ards side. The trio of Nixon, Wilson and McKee all
went into the hapless official's book in the space of
8 minutes and the game was no better for it - there
had hardly been a tackle all night.
Limavady continued to
press Ards and another chance opening up for Owens on
72 minutes and he took a first time swipe at a cross
from the right and his fierce volley didn't beat the
goal by much.
That was merely a
prelude to the inevitable though, as despite the much
improved display in the second half from Ards, they
had ridden their luck on numerous occasions and goal
number three from Limavady was coming. Just five
minutes were left when Owens swung the ball in from
the right side and with McDonald failing to come and
claim, Jennings rose to head the ball past him and
into the goal for a well deserved victory.
-
AMIGO UPDATE
67
goals - £33.50
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5 Jimmy
McIlhagga (for Wright 82), 12 Stephen Doyle (for Stirling 76),
14 David Cully, 17 Mark Picking (for Dickson 64), 18 Thomas
Gorman
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Eddie Ferguson |
16th
February 2010
Printable
version
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James Wright 29, Kris
Pike 57 pen
