PLAYR-FIT Teamwear Championship.
Dergview vs Ards F.C
Darragh Park.
Saturday November 4th at 3.00 p.m.
Ards face a long trek to Castlederg in an attempt to put an end to the recent run of poor results and collect the points that will take them away from the relegation zone. Since the clubs last met in September when Ards were hosts and ran out 4-2 winners the teams have had contrasting fortunes. Ards did win their next game, a 1-0 win at Dundela that was probably their best display of the season, but in five subsequent games they have only picked up a single point, whereas Dergview, who parted company with manager Tommy Canning following that defeat to Ards, have won three and drawn one of their last five league games.
The new man in charge at Darragh Park is Emmett Friars who played over 30 games for Ards in the 2016/17 season and was previously assistant to Harry McConkey at Ballinamallard. Friars was appointed a couple of weeks ago but had a watching brief in the draw at Ballyclare before taking charge of the 2-1 home win over Newington last Saturday. Coincidentally McConkey recently left Ballinamallard and was replaced by Tommy Canning, talk about musical chairs!
The teams share the same points total going into this game, both are on 13 but Dergview are in 10th place with a slightly better goal difference, leaving Ards in the relegation play-off place. The immediate target is Ballinamallard who have 17 points and would be favourites to pick up three more when they travel to basement side Knockbreda this weekend, even if they didn't have the advantage of the "new manager bounce". Although it is relatively early in the season both Ards and Dergview will want to win this one in order not to get cut adrift at the bottom of the league.
Last February Ards made two trips to Castlederg in the space of four days and honours were even, with both sides winning a game.
Although it doesn't excuse some of the results, Ards have been plagued with injuries recently and only had five substitutes, instead of the seven permitted, on the bench at Ballyclare. That situation will hopefully have improved for the trip to Darragh Park but one certain absentee is Salou Jallow who played his last game for the club at Ballyclare before heading off to Australia. One player who should definitely be available is the creative Eamon Scannell who missed out last week due to a one game suspension imposed after he collected his fifth booking of the season in the defeat to Annagh.
Any Red and Blue fans making the trip to Castlederg will be hoping for a good performance and a result which might just turn the tide and reignite their season.
Match Officials :-
Referee :- Barry Monaghan.
1st Assistant :- Roy Beacom.
2nd Assistant :- Shane Corrigan.