By Daniel Noble
ARDS FC remain unbeaten after their first two NIFL Championship games having secured a shock victory over Glenavon and rescued a draw against Dundela.
The Red and Blues entered the opening day of the campaign as significant underdogs on Saturday, travelling to Mourneview Park to face a side which was relegated from the Irish Premiership last term, after a 21-year stay in the top division.
Not many would have expected the game to unfold as it did however, with the visitors stunning the Lurgan Blues as they took the lead through left-back Connor Maxwell after just 13 minutes.
John Bailie’s men defended resolutely throughout the opening 45 minutes, keeping their noses in front at the mid-way point.
Any hope of a renewed Glenavon fight after the restart was quickly dispelled, as Ards kept their hosts goalless, before captain Eamon Scannell stepped up with the allimportant second goal in the 69th minute.
With the minutes ticking away, and the home side remaining in search of a first goal of the season, again it was the visitors who showed their class in front of goal.
In the final minute of normal time, winger Jamie Browne raced through on goal and pulled off a sumptuous chip, lobbing goalkeeper Lorcan Donnelly to ensure all three points went back to Ards.
Glenavon’s only exploits in front of goal were too little, too late, with Ryan Waide scoring a consolation goal in stoppage time.
A clean sheet would have been the icing on the cake for Ards, but manager Bailie was delighted with the showing from his players, in what was a tough fixture on paper.
“We knew it was going to be difficult coming here. For me, I thought it was a good game to have as first of the season, away to probably the league favourites,” he said.
“To be fair, the players have probably carried out what we’ve asked them to do. It’s the first game of the season and I think we ran out of legs a wee bit, but I cant ask any more of the players.”
Bailie was full of praise for his side at both ends of the pitch, adding: “We’ve been clinical and it’s a really good away performance, because we have hit them on the break, we’ve caused them problems, and that’s pleasing.
“When the chances have come, we’ve taken our goals. Whenever Glenavon were throwing more and more players forward, we were always going to see gaps and look to expose.”
Coming off the back of that assured performance, the Ards boss issued his expectations for the immediate future.
“They’ve set the standards now, anything below that isn’t really acceptable, so it’s up to them,” he stated.
“We’ve had good starts before and football’s funny, it can give you great highs and great lows.”
Heading into their second game four days, expectations were raised for Ards when they welcomed Dundela to Clandeboye Park on Tuesday night.
Hosting a side which finished second-from-bottom last season, the Red and Blue Army would have had their sights set on making it six points from six.
Instead, they were forced to come from behind twice to salvage a draw, with all four goals arriving in the second half of the match.
Dundela skipper Matthew Ferguson broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute, before Maxwell levelled matters with his second goal in two games.
Parity was short-lived however, as former Ards man Benny Igiehon restored the away side’s advantage a mere minute after the equaliser.
The hosts, staring a surprise defeat in the face, found another gear late on, snatching a share the points thanks to the heroic strike of 21 year-old defender Kielan Reid.
It may not have been the result Ards were hoping for, but all was not lost, as their four points from two games is enough to see them tied at the top of thew table, level with Newington, Loughgall and Queen’s University.
Still, they will be hoping to make the long journey to Warrenpoint Town worthwhile this weekend, taking on a team which has recorded one win and one draw in the league so far.
Kick-off is scheduled for 3pm at Milltown on Saturday.
