ardsfc.co.uk - Ards Football Club - Limavady United 3-2 Ards

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.

1 Andy McDonald (c)

2 Darren Nixon	19 James Wilson		4 Gary Spence
6 Paul Dickson			3 Kris Pike

11 Aaron McKee	16 James Wright		7 Craig McMillen

20 Darren Armour		9 Darren Stirling
James Wright 29, Kris Pike 57 pen


	5 Jimmy McIlhagga (for Wright 82), 12 Stephen Doyle (for Stirling 76), 14 David Cully, 17 Mark Picking (for Dickson 64), 18 Thomas Gorman

	Eddie Ferguson