Belfast Telegraph Championship 1
Newry City 0-0 Ards

Ards battled hard to gain a deserved draw at Newry Showgrounds, surviving a second half scare when Newry had a goal disallowed for offside.

In Niall Currie's second game in charge, an unchanged Ards team saw the better of the first half exchanges before taking a back seat to Newry's second half advances.

The game's opening chance indeed went Ards' way on 14 minutes. A ball through the Newry lines by forward Nathan McConnell found its way to Ross Arthurs and his early hit from six yards was fumbled by goalkeeper Buchanan onto the post. The same two players were involved again three minutes later when another chance opened up for Ards.

This time it was McConnell with the initial chance, but when he failed to get the ball under control, Mark Picking stepped in to deliver a ball for Arthurs at the back post, but the cross was just a little too high for the Ards striker.

Despite Ards' early pressure the best chance of the half actually fell to Newry. It was the 22nd minute when Declan Carville cut a path through the middle of Ards defenders Devine and Boyd and was denied a goal only by a very decent save from visiting goalkeeper Graeme McKibbin.

Mark Picking Picture: Gareth McCluskey

A spate of bookings - two for each side - told the tale of the next fifteen minutes as both sides fell foul of the referee. Chances were limited though-out this period and it wasn't until the final five minutes of the half that both sides threatened again.

On 40 minutes Newry defender Stephen Hutchinson connected with a corner from the left but sent his header over the bar and then in injury time at the other end Sammy Devine fired in a low shot that Buchanan parried away.

The half time break saw Ards introduce Ryan Berry for Gareth Corey but as Newry stepped up their game, Ards were seeing nowhere near the same amount of possession.

It was Newry who put together the first attack of the new half with defender Ruiri Devlin beginning a move in his own half in the 53rd minute. Devlin's run up field saw him play a one-two with Carville on the edge of the Ards box and from the return ball Devline struck a shot just wide of the Ards goal.

Then on the hour a short mis-placed pass by Mark Picking saw McCabe break away and his cross almost had Mark Hughes in on goal but for Ards skipper Darren Nixon to make a timely intercepting tackle. On 68 minutes Ards enjoyed a rare chance but one that almost led to the game's opening goal. It was Picking, who has looked revitalised over the last two games, that created the chance, playing in Ross Arthurs who did well to hold off a defender and strike a low shot that came back off the base of the post.

As the rain continued to fall on The Showgrounds, Newry remained the side on top and Ards were fortunate again on 77 minutes when a shot from the left side of the area from Stephen McCabe caused trouble for McKibbin but the goalkeeper eventually pushed the ball past the post.

Two minutes later and Newry looked to have taken the lead. The danger came from the Newry left and after Stephen Hughes' shot had been blocked by Nixon, Carville was on hand to stab the loose ball home. A Carville wheeled away he did so into the view of the near side assistant, who had correctly spotted his offside position.

Ards finished the game with two further names going into the book, substitute James Cully and defender Ciaran Boyd, who'll now be due a one match suspension.

Ards Team 1 Graeme McKibbin (GK), 8 Sammy Devine, 5 Darren Nixon (capt.), 4 Gary Spence, 16 Ciaran Boyd, 19 Mark Picking, 11 Aaron McKee, 17 Jimmy McIlhagga, 15 Gareth Corey, 9 Nathan McConnell, 10 Ross Arthurs

Substitutes 6 Ryan Berry (for Corey h/t), 14 James Cully(for McIlhagga 74), 21 Adam Arthurs (for Picking 89)

Referee W Campbell

28th October 2011

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