Match Sponsor: WJ Harkness Plumbing & Heating, 67 Ballynashee Road, Ballyclare - Tel: 93341232

Ball Sponsor: Dundee's Truck Wash, Dennison's Industrial Estate, Ballyclare - Tel: 93323298

Match Photos: Graeme Bolton Photography

Match Highlights: Editor: Graeme Bolton, Cameraman: Ryan Tweedie

Saturday 24th October 2009 - Ladbrokes.com Championship 1

Ballyclare Comrades team

Subs: 12.Anto Crawford  14.Kyle Agnew  15.Ricky Moore  16.Stuart McCullough  17.Keith Armstrong

Ards: McDonald, Dickson, Nixon, Wilson, Pike, Picking, Wright, Irvine, McIlhagga, Stirling, Fitzgerald. Subs: Doyle, Spence, Cully, Gorman, McKee.

Comrades substitutions

Johnny Gowdy (70')

Kyle Agnew (70')

Ronnie Burns (76')

Anto Crawford (76')

Andy Long (76')

Stuart McCullough (76')

Goals

Darren Fitzgerald (46') - pen

Andy Simms (82')

Comrades cards

Johnny Gowdy (18')

Andy Simms (47')

Comrades man of the match

Stuart Galbraith

Comrades ended a run of five defeats with a point and an encouraging display against high-flying ground-sharers Ards, at a windswept Dixon Park.

Manager Gordon Chambers restricted himself to one change from the side beaten at Larne the previous Saturday, with Ricky Lecky coming in at right-back for his competitive debut to replace Mark Drysdale.

Comrades started brightly and had a couple of early chances. In the 4th minute a free-kick played into the box broke to David Officer 12 yards out, but he shot rather weakly at the keeper. Then, a minute later, Mark McClelland latched onto the ball inside the box and unleashed a powerful shot across the keeper from 13 yards, which was met by a splendid save from McDonald.

The wind and slippery surface was making it difficult for both sides, who to their credit tried to play attractive football despite the difficulties. The first half developed into a competitive, evenly balanced affair, with Comrades giving as good as they got against their in-form opponents.

Comrades’ defence was looking strong and it was not until the 31st minute that Ards created a real chance. A good move down the right ended with the ball finding Wright in a great position 11 yards from goal. However, his shot was superbly saved by Allen Huxley. A minute later, with Ards having a good spell, Stirling shot low just wide of the far post from 16 yards.

Comrades retorted with a dangerous spell of their own. On 34 minutes, a corner played into the box fell to Andy Long, 8 yards from goal and he struck a shot which looked on target before being deflected wide by a defender. From the resulting corner Comrades came close again, when Niall Devine got above the defenders to head goalwards from 6 yards, only to see his effort come off the head of a defender and over the bar. Then, three minutes later, a chipped pass from the impressive Stuart Galbraith, found Ronnie Burns in a good position 25 yards out, but his resulting shot went too close to the Ards keeper.

The wind continued to cause difficulties and on 42 minutes Ards keeper McDonald was almost caught out, when he misjudged a cross into the box from Ronnie Burns and had to rather uncomfortably palm the ball wide of the goal.

Ards finished the half strongly with a few chances. In the 44th minute Stirling broke through two tackles on the right by-line before hitting a shot from a difficult angle, which Ricky Lecky cleared off the line.

A minute later, a cross from the right found Fitzgerald, but he headed weakly at the keeper from 8 yards. Then, two minutes into first-half injury-time a through ball looked to have set Stirling free on goal, but Niall Devine did enough, getting back to challenge the Ards striker, whose shot was miscued and went  wide of the target.

The second half began in disastrous fashion for Comrades, with another wind created incident. Ards pumped a high ball towards the Comrades’ box, but it was over-hit, with no strikers in the vicinity. However, the ball, blown about by the wind, struck Darren Munster on the thigh as he tried to control it and unfortunately bounced up onto his arm, purely accidentally. The referee, rather harshly blew for a penalty, which Fitzgerald took and converted confidently.

Comrades reacted well to this set-back and continued to match their opponents in terms of attacking possession. However, it was Ards who had the next chance. On 64 minutes a diagonal ball was played into the Comrades box and Stirling slid in to connect with it 4 yards from goal, only to be thwarted by a great block by Allen Huxley.

Comrades had been plugging away in attack, giving a resolute Ards defence a fair deal to think about, but without much reward. However, on 67 minutes, Mark McClelland’s attempt to surge past a defender near the by-line was prevented by an out-stretched arm and the referee awarded a penalty. Ronnie Burns stepped up to take it, but his effort gave McDonald a chance and the experienced keeper pulled off a save to maintain his side’s lead.

Ards almost added to their lead on 73 minutes when a mix up between Kyle Agnew and Darren Munster, both going for the same high ball on the edge of the Comrades box, allowed Stirling in and he was unlucky to see his lob over the keeper from 14 yards come back off the bar.

It looked like it might be another bad day for Comrades, with a good performance producing no reward, until they grabbed a deserved equaliser on 82 minutes. A period of pressure ended with David Officer surging to the left side of the 6-yard box and chipping a ball to the back post area, which was met by an Andy Simms header from close range. McDonald looked to have saved Simms’ effort, but the linesman signalled that the ball was already over the line and Comrades were back on level terms in controversial circumstances.

The remaining minutes of the game saw both sides go for the win, but neither could produce the clear cut chance to win the three points and the game ended in a draw; a fair result on the balance of play.

This was a very encouraging display from Comrades against a very useful Ards outfit. A casual observer of the game would not have known that the sides were at opposite ends of the table. Comrades defended well, managing to cut out the errors which have lead to goals in previous games. The midfield, driven on by inspirational veteran Stuart Galbraith, was a match for the opponents, whilst chances were created in attack against a strong Ards defence.