JOHN Bailie praised his Ards side for ‘standing up’ after they kept successive clean sheets for the first time since November in Tuesday night’s win over Knockbreda.
Goals from Aidan Steele, Lee Newell and Callum Dougan at Seaview in midweek ensured Ards moved five points clear of 11th placed Dergview, and while Bailie felt they could have made life easier for themselves, the discipline of the Red and Blues left the Portavogie man satisfied with a good night’s work.
“We won’t get carried away with this result, like we didn’t get carried away with the Dergview win,” he said.
“Because we haven’t achieved anything yet, and even if we do stay up we won’t have achieved anything – we’ll have just loosened the noose around the neck a little bit.
“I was really pleased with our first-half performance, but we had missed three or four clear cut chances and should have been further ahead,” added Bailie.
“We started the second half sluggishly, and when you are where we are, it can become edgy and I think that edginess showed.
“But on the plus side, we stood up defensively and that was pleasing. That’s our second clean sheet on the bounce and that gives you a foundation in any game.
“We’ve got to create good habits and keeping clean sheets is a good habit.
“For quite a few weeks, we were leaking goals and struggling at the top end. I know prior to me coming in we were scoring plenty of goals but leaking a lot too, so there’s a happy medium there.”
FULL REACTION IN THIS WEEKS PAPER…
