Sirocco Works 0-5 Ards

Things went as expected in Ards' latest pre-season match against Sirocco Works - a comfortable win, Darren Fitzgerald chipping in a few goals and a clean sheet for Jon Munn to boot.

Fitzgerald grabbed himself a hat-trick in fact, the first of which came very early on. There were just three minutes played when a defender went through the back of Stephen Doyle as he stood back to goal near the right hand post and the referee had little option but to award a spot kick. Up stepped Fitzgerald, confident as ever and Massey was beaten at his left side.

Ards keeper Jon Munn was called in action a few minutes after that as he had to turn over a well hit half-volley from Donnelly, an effort that could certainly have hit the net. Onto ten minutes and Ards' Jimmy McIlhagga saw his back post header saved by Massey after connecting with Doyle's cross.

Ards were certainly the team in control, keeping possession and moving the ball well on the tight Wilgar Park pitch. The chances did seem to dry up a bit after an initially busy opening ten minutes but the action livened up again towards the end of the half. On 31 minutes James Wright won a loose ball in the centre of the park and played it out left to Mark Picking. The Ards winger cut inside his marker and dispatched a low, left foot shot that was just wide of the target.

Ards finally doubled their lead a minute into added time. A corner won was taken by Kris Pike on the right side and Gary Spence was given all the room in the world to move in a power an unchallenged header past the goalkeeper.

Kris Pike

The second period continued with with Ards well on top and only the goalkeeper's intervention denied Fitzgerald thirteen minutes into the new half. Sirocco, who had ex-Ards players Ryan Hyland, Leigh Cassidy and Mark Parker in their squad, could still threaten on the break and on 63 minutes Pike had to put in a brave header to spirit the ball away from Donnelly just in front of goal.

On 74 minutes Fitzgerald notched his second of the game and Ards' third as he found himself in just the right spot to put away a rebound after Chris Towell's header had been parried by keeper Massey. The fourth Ards goal arrived on 79 minutes and it was the pick of the bunch. Left-back Pike doesn't score many and he wont catch many as sweetly as this 26 yard drive that flew from toe to net leaving Massey a helpless onlooker.

The Ards fifth goal on 82 minutes had a certain shambolic nature to it. As Mark Picking weaved his way towards the Sirocco area he was taken out by a fairly hefty challenge and Ards were awarded a free kick about 20 yards out. Fitzgerald had scored a few of these in his time and he did so again, setting the ball down and calmly side-footing it into the net as the Sirocco wall and goalkeeper all day-dreamed the game away.

Ards substitute Sammy Devine might have added to the score with a minute to play as he took a pass from Wright, turned and shot beautifully on the edge of the box but his effort well saved by the goalkeeper.

Scorers Darren Fitzgerald 3 pen, 74, 82, Gary Spence 45+1, Kris Pike 79

Ards Team 1 Jon Munn, 2 Darren Nixon, 4 Gary Spence, 5 James Wilson, 3 Kris Pike, 16 Mark Picking, 15 James Wright, 8 Sammy Devine, 7 Jimmy McIlhagga, 9 Stephen Doyle, 10 Darren Fitzgerald

Substitutes 11 Rab Young (for Devine h/t), 12 Chris Towell (for Wright h/t), 14 Matty Neill (for Wilson h/t)

Referee Graham McIlwrath

20th July 2010