PLAYR-FIT CHAMPIONSHIP
ANNAGH UNITED 2
TEGGART 25′, STEWART 51′
ARDS 0
THERE was to be no winning start for new manager John Bailie as his heavily depleted Ards side fell to defeat at the hands of Annagh United last Friday evening.
Ards, without a number of first team regulars due to injuries, illness and suspension, were forced into naming a bench almost entirely made up of teenagers with the exception of substitute goalkeeper Neil Shields.
Although the much more experienced side on paper, Annagh’s goals came courtesy of two young guns of their own, with January recruit Eoin Teggart (21) and Darragh Stewart (19) striking either side of half-time in a 2-0 loss for a battling Ards.
It was Ciaran McGurgan’s men who started brightly as Kris Calvert went close with a header after 12 minutes, followed soon after by a Cohen Henderson effort which was deflected just wide.
A patched up Ards were dealt a further blow when Conor Scannell was forced off inside the quarter-hour, to be replaced by Finlay Bayliss – just 16 – who acquitted himself well.
The opener arrived in the 25th minute after Ruairi McDonald squared the ball for former Portsmouth youth player Teggart and he found the net with an emphatic left-footed finish.
Annagh then doubled their lead early in the second half when Stewart latched onto a James Convie through ball before stroking past Alex Moore to seal the victory.
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Substitutes: Bayliss (C. Scannell 13), Dalzell (Miller 87), Sloan (Dougan 87), McCullough (Tipton 90+1), Robson (McAllister 90+1).
Not used: Shields, Ritchie.
Booked: Cafolla.
Annagh United: Craughwell, Kerr, Calvert, Campbell, Evans, Taylor, McDonald, Young, McCullough (C), C. Henderson, Teggart.
Substitutes: Stewart (Taylor 46), Cochrane (C. Henderson 46), Convie (McDonald 46), N. Henderson (Evans 46), Burns (Young 79).
Not used: McClure, Holmes.
Booked: N. Henderson, McCullough.
Referee: Barry Monaghan
