Our Under 18s on the road once again faced defeated Carrick Rangers 3-1 at Taylor’s Avenue 3G on a wet and windy Friday evening.
Despite not winning any of their first 4 games of the season, the young Ards side are now unbeaten in 6 games, winning five and drawing one.
They got off to a good start on Friday with the in form Karl Hollywood putting Ards in front following a James Watson cross into the box. Against heavy wind and rain the Ards defence had to deal with the unnatural flight of the ball forward at times, Finlay Keenan was unlucky on the half hour mark as Carrick forward took full advantage to score and make it 1-1. Hollywood had a couple of chances in the first as did Watson who made great strides forward, Carrick struck the cross bar and went close just before the half time whistle.
Carrick Rangers 1-1 Ards
Following a half time chat with the players disappointed in their first half performance despite up against tough conditions. They were more upbeat going into the second half. Their early pressure after the break paid off as Hollywood grabbed his second capitalising on the Carrick defences hesitation as he nipped in to then finish under the keeper. Ards grew in confidence from that and closed the space from our defence and midfield, restricting Carrick to break the team down. The introduction of the substitutes added fresh life into the side and didn’t give Carrick any hope getting time on the ball. A third came for Ards and it was Hollywood once again, as Murray flicked on, the forward done the rest beating the Carrick keeper. Late on in the game Ards had chances to add more goals, a ferocious Jonny Murray strike stung the hands of the Carrick keeper and a Nathan Johnston free kick went just over. However a deserved victory in the end. With Ards travelling to face Newry City in the Harry Cavan next weekend.
Full Time Score
Carrick Rangers 1-3 Ards
Goalscorers
Karl Hollywood 3
Man Of The Match
Karl Hollywood
Starting XI - Moody (GK), Armstrong, Macrory (C), Keenan, Magee, Martin, Watson, McCann, Johnston, MacDonald, Hollywood
Substitutes - Kinnear (GK), McGirr, Raul, Murray
Managers Words “Following last weeks cancellation due to Glentoran’s rescheduled cup game, we’ve had a stop start couple of weeks but it was pleasing to see that it hasn’t effected the players performances on the pitch. Tough conditions against Carrick, I can recall Stevens U20s side finding it tough down there last year also so it was good to come up the road with 3 points. It wasn’t a night for free flowing football, it was very much a hard fought victory but a deserved one. We have really manned up individually over the last 6 weeks and took real ownership all over the pitch, that in itself gives the rest of the team confidence knowing that each and everyone will give their last drop. There is still things we can improve on by no means, we didn’t create as many chances as we would have hoped in the game but other players stepped up and contributed which is pleasing.“