Ards completed a comeback against Oxford United Stars to book our place in the semi-finals of the Carnegie League Cup on Tuesday night.

Justin McBride was back in the starting line-up due to Darren Stirling's injury and it was his first strike of the season that wrapped up the three points. Otherwise Ards were unchanged from the side that played Banbridge, while Oxford went in to the game with qualification for them still mathematically possible.

Craig McMillen created the game's first chance on 11 minutes when a break down the right side saw him breeze past two defenders to the edge of the area and unleash a low shot just wide of the left hand post.

McMillen involved himself in the game's next chance on 19 minutes when he knocked on a neat McBride pass to Ricky Billing and the striker was only denied by reflex save from the goalkeeper at very close range. Johnny Cleary hobbled out of the game in the 39th minute, to be replaced by David Cully and with five minutes to the break Oxford turned the tables when they took an unexpected lead. A real shot from nothing it was too from Declan McKeever and the ball found the top corner of the Ards net from around 30 yards.

The advantage didn't last long though as Ards equalised on 43 minutes. A free kick given for a foul on Billing was taken quickly by McMillen, who found Pike out wide on the left. His cross from the far touchline made it's way to Billing and he looped a header over the keeper into the top corner.

A great chance materialised for Ards some six minutes into the new half when Johnny Shaw chased down a loose ball into the Oxford area. His short cross found McBride at the far post and the striker would really have scored but for the brilliant save from the McGready.

A minute later, with fifty-two gone, and McBride did make his amends. A long Ards corner ended up out on the right side of the field where McBride gathered and just a simple turn later he had thumped the ball into the roof of the net.

The 68th minute saw Cully find himself in a great position to finish off a McMillen cross but after sliding in from the right hand side his final touch knocked the ball just wide of the goal. At the other end a minute later Oxford's McKeever kept Andy McDonald on his toes with a low shot that skimmed past the base of an upright.

The final note-worthy chance on 78 minutes saw Cully denied by a goal-line clearance  after getting on the end of a McMillen cross and carrying the ball past his marker to strike right-footed. Not the most polished of performances then but Ards through to the next stage nonetheless with an undefeated record.

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