Ards swept into the last sixteen of the Steel & Sons Cup with goals in the first half from Justin McBride and Ricky Billing helping the side to an easy 3-0 win.

The damage to Amateur League Saintfield was done early on as Ards found the net twice in the first quarter of an hour. There was one personnel and one positional change in the Ards line-up with Kris Pike moving to left-back to cover the injured Johnny Cleary, allowing Darren Kincaid to come in on the left of midfield.

The were only five minutes played when Ards went ahead; a long ball knocked on by Ricky Billing ran kindly for Justin McBride who took his time before smacking a half volley past the goalkeeper, that just sneaked in at the far post.

Goalkeeper Young touched over a shot from Craig McMillen on 12 minutes, though was powerless to stop Ricky Billing's second goal three minutes later. A touch of confusion between Young and his defender Joe Jeffreys as a long ball came in, led to a collision in the area and Billing was on hand to take full advantage and dispatch the ball high into the unguarded net.

Billing later put a header past the goal from an inviting Kincaid cross and then Justin McBride called on the keeper to make a save from his 20 yard effort. Chaos reigned in the Saintfield penalty area on 36 minutes when no less than three Ards players had the chance to put the ball in the net. First McMillen, then McBride, then Billing had shots saved by Young as the ball ricocheted around the goal, with the danger eventually cleared.

Ards did eventually get their third before half time and it was Billing who got his name to the strike, rising high to meet Kris Pike's 39th minute right-sided corner with his head and beat the reach of Lee Young.

The game over as contest for sure and Ards fans might well have been asking just how many it was going to end up with heads dropping amongst the home side. Aaron McKee rattled the Saintfield crossbar with a 25 yard free kick just as the new half began and not long after McBride was denied by a diving save from the keeper.

A shot from Saintfield's Paul Dwyer on the hour narrowly missed the Ards goal after catching a deflection, although the chance never looked liked triggering a renaissance among the amateurs. With the game starting to teeter out, Ards introduced their three substitutes David Cully, Glen Bowers and Johnny Roy in a effort to re-start the game. Roy get a breakthrough on goal around the 71st minute but dragged his shot wide of the goal.

So the second half flurry never came as Ards somewhat sat back on the lead and never really pushed on for further goals. But into the hat we go for the next stage with the hope of emulating last season's semi-final appearance.

ardsfc.co.uk